The making of Pather Panchali: Q to play Satyajit Ray

KOLKATA: A big-budget film on the making of Satyajit Ray's debut masterpiece, Pather Panchali, is in the works. Produced by Kaustuv Ray, the film will be directed by author-filmmaker Udayan Namboodiri, and attempts to take a fresh look at the film, 60 years after its release, and multiple screenings later, by going behind the scenes. Filmmaker Qaushik Mukherjee (Q) is slated to play the master filmmaker.
The Ray family has heard about the project and is project and is open to anyone working on such a venture, provided care is taken to stick to the facts.���It's currently in the pre-production stage," Namboodiri told TOI. ���We're going through the casting process ��� it's a huge responsibility, as we have to choose 150 people."
Kaustuv, who is very excited about this project, promised that the film would be ready for release by Ray's birth anniversary, May 2, next year.���Not only Ray, former chief minister Bidhan Chandra Roy, who helped in getting the state funding of the film, will also have an important role," he said.
Paran Bandopadhyay will essay the role of Dr Roy. ���I'm going through the rough script. The film will depict how Manikda (Ray) had to wait for months to get funding before Roy stepped in to help. After his long years of struggle, he delivered this film that has left a permanent impression on world cinema," he said. Q has already got the script. ���It's a little early to say how I will essay the role. I am yet to sign the contract. Things should be finalized by this week," he said.
Actor Rahul Banerjee is also a part of the cast. ���I'm playing the role of art director Bansi Chandragupta," he said. Art director Indranil Ghosh, who has worked in films like 'Chokher Bali' and 'Bhooter Bhobisyot', will design the sets of this film. ���The sets will reflect the period. We are discussing whether we'll create dummy buildings or use real ones. We are yet to select a location, though. We're searching for a village which looks similar to Boral. But the problem is that nowadays, villages have lampposts. The structures of buildings and homes are different," he said. While shooting the portions involving Dr Roy, the team might shoot at Writers' Buildings if granted permission. ���If not, we'll have to improvise," Ghosh said.
Shooting for the as-yet-untitled film will begin in July. The project is ambitious and if all goes well, it could well be an Indian counterpart to a film like 'Saving Mr Banks', where Tom Hanks had played the role of Walt Disney and his struggle to make 'Mary Poppins'.