NITN | @notintownlive | 16 Jan 2021, 05:15 am

Kolkata/NITN: Kolkata’s leading bookstore chain Starmark, in association with the Society for the Preservation of Satyajit Ray Archives, launched RAY ON RAY—the Starmark Calendar 2021, as a tribute to Satyajit Ray on the occasion of his birth centenary. Sandip Ray unveiled the calendar at a closed-door event.
Speaking about the calendar, Gautam Jatia, CEO Starmark, said, "Our tribute to Satyajit Ray in his birth centenary year takes the form of this calendar based on his own comments on his films, and a presentation of posters and booklet covers. It was a challenging task to include as many as possible within the limited number of pages of the table calendar."
Published by Starmark, the Starmark Calendar 2021 has been produced in association with the Society for the Preservation of Satyajit Ray Archives.
The calendar has been curated by Sandip Ray who has himself written on the booklets on his father’s films, which gave readers glimpses about the films and their plots, along with their song lyrics, photo stills and information about their casts and crews; to Sandip Ray, these have been “important signposts of film history and its evolution”.
Present at the launch were Pinaki De, graphic designer and illustrator, Arup Kr. De, CEO, Society for the Preservation of Satyajit Ray Archives, and Riddhi Goswami, a Ray enthusiast who provided all the archival assistance required. The launch was followed by a discussion on Ray’s artworks, conducted by Ujjal Chakraborty, National Award winning critic and Ray scholar.
The covers of these booklets and some posters form the visual/graphic component of this calendar, with excerpts from Satyajit Ray’s own writings and comments on his own films making them come to life… on the one hand, helping oldtimers revive pleasant memories of having seen and enjoyed them, and, on the other, developing interest about these films among those who have never seen them.
The films covered, chronologically, are Pather Panchali (1955), Aparajito (1956), Jalsaghar (1958), Parash Pathar (1958), Apur Sansar (1959), Devi (1960), Teen Kanya (1961), Kanchenjungha (1962), Abhijan (1962), Mahanagar (1963), Charulata (1964), Kapurush, Mahapurush and Kapurush O Mahapurush (1965), Nayak (1966), Chiriyakhana (1967), Pratidwandi (1970), Seemabaddha (1971), Aranyer Din Ratri (1971), Ashani Sanket (1973), Sonar Kella (1974), Bala, a documentary (1976), Shatranj Ke Khilari (1977), Jana Aranya (1975), Joi Baba Felunath (1979), Ghare Baire (1984), Ganashatru (1990), Shakha Proshakha (1990) and Agantuk (1991). Interestingly, the booklet cover of Sheshraksha (1944), designed by Satyajit Ray, has been featured, as also that of Nastaneer, as Charulata (1964) had earlier been titled.
While January features Pather Panchali all by itself under the title ‘Song of the Little Road’, the other months cover the remaining Satyajit Ray films, imaginatively, grouped under headlines like ‘Apu’s Journey’, ‘Women Through the Ages’, ‘Sharp Satires’, ‘Tryst with Tagore’, ‘Twilight Tales of Loss’, ‘Changing Cityscapes’, ‘Ensemble Symphonies’, ‘Chronicles of Conscience’, ‘Frolicking Fantasies’, ‘Sleuths in the Hunt’ and ‘The Curtain Call’.
The calendar is priced at Rs 395/-.
- Narendra Modi in Tianjin: India, China to resume direct flights as ties improve at SCO summit
- 'Change is imminent, embrace the reality': Education sector stares at transformation in age of AI
- Global Collaboration Forum, IIM Calcutta Innovation Park ink MoU to support startups ahead of London summit
- USA: Santoor Ashram Kolkata mesmerises Los Angeles with a celebration of Indian classical music
- India Setu curtain raiser showcases AI, healthcare, and conservation as drivers of global collaboration
- Feminist pioneer Abala Bose was both a subscriber and critique of colonial ideas: Author Saptarshi Mallick
- Rotary Club of Belur strengthens Kolkata healthcare with donation to Ramkrishna Mission Seva Pratishthan
- India Humanity Foundation launches “Padho Bharat 2025” literacy campaign
- Kolkata: Mega health camp transforms lives in Ultadanga slum with free multi-specialty services
- 'Music Meets Bells' returns: New York to witness divine confluence of sound and movement
Air India has introduced a limited-period sale, offering discounted fares for Business Class and Premium Economy travel on select short-haul international routes.
Akasa Air has announced the addition of Kozhikode (Calicut) as its 30th destination and 24th domestic stop.
Air New Zealand has announced plans to host a live inflight concert, ‘SYNTHONY in the Sky’, on Dec 4 aboard Flight NZ1331 from Auckland to Sydney.