Pioneers and Stalwarts of Indian Cinema
In honor of Satyajit Ray's hundredth birthday, this spotlight features the legendary director’s greatest works in conversation with the films of directors whom he promoted. Together these pioneering auteurs have made India one of the cinema capitals of the world.
Ghawre Bairey Aaj
A contemporary retelling of love triangle involving Rabindranath Tagore's characters Nikhilesh, Sandip, and Bimala.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- India • 2019
- Director Aparna Sen
- Cast Anirban Bhattacharya, Jisshu Sengupta, Tuhina Das, Anjan Dutt, Rwitobroto Mukherjee, Sreenanda Shankar
- Genre Drama
- Available on No streaming locations found.
The Chess Players
(शतरंज के खिलाड़ी)
Pressure is mounting amidst intrigue and political maneuvers as the Nawab whiles away his time in pursuit of pleasure and religious practice.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- India • 1977
- Director Satyajit Ray
- Cast Sanjeev Kumar, Saeed Jaffrey, Shabana Azmi, Farida Jalal, Veena, David Abraham Cheulkar
- Genre Drama
- Available on Tubi TV, Hoopla
Nishant
(निशांत)
A man whose wife is abducted seeks to have the culprits prosecuted for their crime, but no one will help him.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- India • 1975
- Director Shyam Benegal
- Cast Amrish Puri, Girish Karnad, Shabana Azmi, Anant Nag, Satyadev Dubey, Smita Patil
- Genre Crime, Drama
- Available on Hoopla
Ankur
(अंकुर)
The son of a wealthy landlord, forced to oversee his father’s property in a village, falls in love with his housekeeper.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- India • 1974
- Director Shyam Benegal
- Cast Shabana Azmi, Anant Nag, Sadhu Meher, Priya Tendulkar, Aga Mohamed Hussain, Mirza Qadirali Baig
- Genre Drama
- Available on Hoopla
A River Called Titas
(তিতাস একটি নদীর নাম)
The story of the tumultuous lives of people in fishing villages along the banks of the Titas River in pre-Partition East Bengal.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- India, Bangladesh • 1973
- Director Ritwik Ghatak
- Cast Fakrul Hasan Bairagi , Narain Chakraborty , Kabari Choudhury , Rawshan Zamil, Sirajul Islam, Shafikul Islam
- Genre Drama, Family
- Available on Criterion Channel
The Hero
(নায়ক)
A matinee idol is going by train to collect an acting award and is suddenly interviewed by a reluctant journalist.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- India • 1966
- Director Satyajit Ray
- Cast Uttam Kumar, Sharmila Tagore, Bireswar Sen, Somen Bose, Nirmal Ghosh, Premangshu Bose
- Genre Drama
- Available on Criterion Channel, Apple TV, Amazon Video
Subarnarekha
(সুবর্ণরেখা)
To keep two children from poverty, Ishwar leaves his home to take an administrative job at an iron mill. Years pass.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- India • 1965
- Director Ritwik Ghatak
- Cast Madhabi Mukherjee, Satindra Bhattacharya, Abhi Bhattacharya, Gita Dey
- Genre Drama
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Charulata
(চারুলতা)
After several months, Charu and Amal's feelings for each other move beyond literary friendship.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- India • 1964
- Director Satyajit Ray
- Cast Soumitra Chatterjee, Madhabi Mukherjee, Shailen Mukherjee, Shyamal Ghoshal, Gitali Roy, Bholanath Koyal
- Genre Drama, Romance
- Available on Criterion Channel, Apple TV, Amazon Video
Madhumati
(मधुमती)
Two men take shelter in a derelict mansion situated in the countryside during a storm and recall their past lives.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- India • 1958
- Director Bimal Roy
- Cast Dilip Kumar, Vyjayanthimala, Johnny Walker, Pran, Jayant, Ramayan Tiwari
- Genre Music, Mystery, Romance
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Pather Panchali
(পথের পাঁচালী)
Together, Apu and his sister, Durga, make do with what they have and enjoy the simple joys of childhood.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- India • 1955
- Director Satyajit Ray
- Cast Subir Banerjee, Uma Das Gupta, Karuna Banerjee, Kanu Bannerjee, Chunibala Devi, Runki Banerjee
- Genre Drama
- Available on Criterion Channel, Hoichoi, Max Amazon Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Tubi TV, Kanopy, Plex, Plex Channel
Two Acres of Land
(दो बीघा ज़मीन)
An impoverished man and his young son travel to Bombay and look for work to raise money to save their ancestral land.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- India • 1953
- Director Bimal Roy
- Cast Balraj Sahni, Nirupa Roy, Nana Palsikar, Rattan Kumar, Meena Kumari, Mehmood
- Genre Drama, Music
- Available on Amazon Video
Awaara
(आवारा)
The lives of poverty-stricken Raj and privileged Rita intertwine when friendship, romance, and revenge collide in this Bollywood smash hit.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- India • 1951
- Director Raj Kapoor
- Cast Prithviraj Kapoor, Leela Chitnis, Nargis, Raj Kapoor, Helen, Shashi Kapoor
- Genre Drama
- Available on Amazon Video