TW Newsdesk, November 4: Ritwik Ghatak, born on November 4, to a middle-class Bengali family, is considered to be a maestro in Bengali filmmaking as is also a part of the directorial trio in the industry along with Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen.

Film enthusiasts are usually divided in their opinion regarding Ray and Ghatak. However, interestingly enough, Ray himself saw Ghatak as less of a competition and held him in very high esteem stating that he was one of the finest filmmakers of the time.

Ghatak dominated the 50s with his underrated style of film-making that often followed an epic format. His “Ajantrik”, a film that portrayed an inanimate object as a character in the story, was years ahead of the “Herbie” films by Walt Disney Motion Pictures. He is also known for gems like “Titash Ekti Nodir Naam”, which won him the Best Director’s Award from Bangladesh Cine Journalist Association and predates Rober Altman’s “Nashville” by two years, as well as “Jukti Tokko ar Goppo” for which he received National Film Award’s Rajat Kamal Award for Best Story in 1974. His “Meghe Dhaka Tara” stands to be a prime example of partition narratives which greatly moved him and formed part of many of his films.

It is common knowledge within the filmmaking industry that Ghatak’s appreciation came posthumously, making his very relevant movies obscure while filmmakers in the West showcasing similar styles went on to add to the “French New Wave of cinema.

In spite of this, the legacy of Ritwik Ghatak is undeniable. His influence and tutelage have shaped many prominent contemporary filmmakers during his years of teaching at the Pune FTII. He indeed established a golden standard of filmmaking not just in Bengali cinema, but beyond, making him an institution. Today, his works are a staple part of the curriculum in every Cinema Studies courses.