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Key Points

Rajkumar Hirani recently opened up about his deep admiration for legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray. He shared that during his film school days, he and his classmates would watch Ray's films for weeks and months at a time. Hirani expressed that Ray's work is universally admired across India, with not a single person who wouldn't appreciate his films. The acclaimed director made these comments during an event at the Merchant's Chamber of Commerce in West Bengal.

Key Points: Rajkumar Hirani Calls Himself Huge Fan of Satyajit Ray

  • Hirani studied Ray's films extensively during his film school education
  • He believes not a single person in India would dislike Ray's work
  • Satyajit Ray won 32 National Awards and the Bharat Ratna
  • Hirani's latest film Dunki earned over Rs 400 crore worldwide
  • Ray was a multifaceted artist beyond just filmmaking
  • Hirani attended the event with film critic Rajeev Masand
2 min read

Rajkumar Hirani calls himself huge fan of Satyajit Ray

Bollywood director Rajkumar Hirani reveals he watched Satyajit Ray films for "weeks and months" in film school, calling Ray universally admired across India.

"I went to a film school, and there were weeks and months we would just watch Ray films, and we are all huge fans. - Rajkumar Hirani"

Kolkata, October 5

Critically acclaimed director Rajkumar Hirani expressed his deep affection for the legendary late director Satyajit Ray, saying that he would watch Ray's films for "weeks and months" during his time at film school.

Rajkumar Hirani attended a session at the Merchant's Chamber of Commerce & Industry in West Bengal, along with film critic Rajeev Masand.

At the sidelines of the event, Rajkumar Hirani said that he is a huge fan of Satyajit Ray's films. While talking to the media, Rajkumar Hirani said, "I went to a film school, and there were weeks and months we would just watch (Satyajit) Ray films, and we are all huge fans. Not a single soul in this country would not admire Ray's films."

Satyajit Ray, the legendary Indian filmmaker, was born in Kolkata on May 2, 1921. His most prominent works include The Apu Trilogy, Jalsaghar, Charulata, Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne, Pather Panchali and Shatranj Ke Khiladi. He was also a screenwriter, documentary filmmaker, author, essayist, lyricist, magazine editor, illustrator, calligrapher, and composer.

Ray received many major awards in his career, including 32 Indian National Film Awards, a number of awards at international film festivals and award ceremonies, and an Academy Honorary Award in 1992. Ray was also honoured with the Bharat Ratna in 1992.

Rajkumar Hirani's last directorial was Dunki, which starred Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role.

'Dunki' focuses on the issue of immigration. Its title is taken from the term "donkey journey", which refers to the long-winding, often dangerous routes that people across the world take to reach the places they want to immigrate to.

'Dunki' features an ensemble cast, with colourful characters portrayed by actors like Boman Irani, Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal, Vikram Kochhar, and Anil Grover, along with Shah Rukh Khan.

The film has garnered an impressive Rs 400.40 Crore worldwide, crossing the Rs 400 crore barrier at the box office.

Rajkumar Hirani is known for films like 3 Idiots, Sanju, PK and others.

Hirani's '3 Idiots' is one of the biggest blockbusters of Indian cinema, which starred Aamir Khan in the lead role.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

A
Arjun K
As a Bengali, I feel so proud reading this! Ray's influence on world cinema is immense, and it's heartening that directors like Hirani recognize his genius. Charulata remains my personal favorite.
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Rohit P
While I respect Ray's contribution to cinema, I wish more contemporary directors would actually incorporate his subtle storytelling techniques rather than just paying lip service. Modern films could learn a lot from his nuanced approach.
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Sarah B
I discovered Satyajit Ray's films during my film studies in the US, and they completely changed my perspective on Indian cinema. The Apu Trilogy is a masterpiece that everyone should watch at least once!
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Vikram M
Ray was truly a Renaissance man - filmmaker, composer, writer, illustrator! His contribution to Indian culture goes beyond just cinema. Bharat Ratna was well-deserved 🙏
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Michael C
Interesting to see the connection between Ray's humanistic storytelling and Hirani's socially relevant films like 3 Idiots and PK. The influence is definitely there if you look closely!

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