A fitting tribute
Satyajit Ray and his inimitable creation Feluda series have always been mandatory in every Bengali household. What Ray had initiated…
It was only appropriate that the Calcutta Film Society has taken the initiative to remember the unforgettable Tramp on his 126th birth anniversary. The tight coat, the bowler hat, the shabby shoes and the stick in his hand became part of legend along with Charlie Chaplin himself. The films are seen again and again as text-book material for their social content and the delightful mannerisms of the actor-director that found countless takers in India. Discerning audiences and renowned filmmakers discovered much more than general filmgoers and children for whom it was simply laughter all the way.
The enlightened section existed among film societies and the Calcutta Film Society spearheaded by Satyajit Ray played a leading role in generating a cinematic consciousness through its shows, discussion meetings and its journal Chitrapat. The office of the society in Chittaranjan Avenue has a collection of old copies dating back to the 1940s when it was started.
It constitutes an invaluable reference library for students of cinema. The library will now be enriched with a collection of essays on Chaplin. These have been written over the years by some of his most ardent admirers. A 200-page volume titled Ajo Amalin will have contributions by Buddhadeb Bose, Syed Mujtaba Ali, Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, Eisenstein, Mahasweta Devi , Paritosh Sen, David Robinson and Soumitra Chatterjee. Some of these have been translated by Mrinal Sen. A single publication with such a galaxy of Chaplin lovers will be difficult to find and, when it finally hits the stands, it should find its way to a prominence place in any library
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