Had an experience yesterday that served as an eye-opener. Would like to share it with you guys. I was teaching an optional paper 'Literature and Films' to the students of our college, some seven-eight students (not students of English but from other subjects). I was supposed to introduce them to the legendary film-maker, Satyajit Ray and teach them one of the chapters of his book 'Our Films, Their Films'. Trying to break the ice, I casually asked them whether they had heard of Ray and what his profession was. Two of them stared back at me dumbly, indicating their complete unfamiliarity with this particular person. Three or four of the others tentatively said that they had heard the name of Ray, but were not sure what his profession was. The only student who seemed to be familiar with him (she was the sharpest), said that she knew Ray through his writings, and added that he was an actor by profession.!!! This was indeed a revelation. Was talking about this to my colleagues in the English department when one of them told me that she was supposed to teach them Charlie Chaplin's 'My Autobiography'. When she had asked this same set of students about their familiarity with this great guy, all of them said that they were extremely familiar with Chaplain and one of them (Yes, she who had heard of the the actor Ray) not only mimicked his actions, but even drew a very creditable picture of Chaplin on the board. I told my colleague that i was instantly reminded of Tagore's very famous poem:
বহু দিন ধরে, বহু ক্রোশ দূরে
বহু ব্যয় করি, বহু দেশ ঘুরে
দেখিতে গিয়াছি পর্বতমালা, দেখিতে গিয়াছি সিন্ধু।
দেখা হয় নাই চক্ষু মেলিয়া, ঘর হতে শুধু দুই পা ফেলিয়া
একটি ধানের শিসের উপরে, একটি শিশির বিন্দু
Roughly translated as
I traveled miles, for many a year, I spent a lot in lands afar, I’ve gone to see the mountains, the oceans I’ve been to view. But I haven’t seen with these eyes Just two steps from my home lies On a sheaf of paddy grain, a glistening drop of dew.
(Translation is from the Net. I don't know whether there is an authorized translation of this poem).
This is not meant in any way to take away from the Chaplin's talent, histrionic and otherwise, but to show how oblivious we are of our own culture and heritage and how we disregard our own cultural icons. And to think that this would be the fate of a man about whom the film-maker Akira Kurosawa had said, 'Not to have seen the cinema of Ray means existing in the world without seeing the sun or the moon'.
@thebeautifulgame ; I have seen two of Satyajit Ray films. One is Hindi film "Shatranj ke khiladi" and other one is classic "Pather Panchali". Due to language barrier, I am not able to see other films. I always wanted to see "Sonar Killa" if I get a good Hindi dubbed print of it. You should ask your students about Bimal Roy films next time. "Do Bigha Zameen" is also a real gem. Also add V Shantaram "Do Ankhein Barah Haath" in my old classic favorite list.
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Also the No.1 movie "Mulholland Drive", I have seen twice and have failed to understand it both times
Preferably within movies from recent years
I was teaching an optional paper 'Literature and Films' to the students of our college, some seven-eight students (not students of English but from other subjects). I was supposed to introduce them to the legendary film-maker, Satyajit Ray and teach them one of the chapters of his book 'Our Films, Their Films'. Trying to break the ice, I casually asked them whether they had heard of Ray and what his profession was. Two of them stared back at me dumbly, indicating their complete unfamiliarity with this particular person. Three or four of the others tentatively said that they had heard the name of Ray, but were not sure what his profession was. The only student who seemed to be familiar with him (she was the sharpest), said that she knew Ray through his writings, and added that he was an actor by profession.!!! This was indeed a revelation. Was talking about this to my colleagues in the English department when one of them told me that she was supposed to teach them Charlie Chaplin's 'My Autobiography'. When she had asked this same set of students about their familiarity with this great guy, all of them said that they were extremely familiar with Chaplain and one of them (Yes, she who had heard of the the actor Ray) not only mimicked his actions, but even drew a very creditable picture of Chaplin on the board. I told my colleague that i was instantly reminded of Tagore's very famous poem:
বহু দিন ধরে, বহু ক্রোশ দূরে
বহু ব্যয় করি, বহু দেশ ঘুরে
দেখিতে গিয়াছি পর্বতমালা, দেখিতে গিয়াছি সিন্ধু।
দেখা হয় নাই চক্ষু মেলিয়া, ঘর হতে শুধু দুই পা ফেলিয়া
একটি ধানের শিসের উপরে, একটি শিশির বিন্দু
Roughly translated as
I traveled miles, for many a year,
I spent a lot in lands afar,
I’ve gone to see the mountains, the oceans I’ve been to view.
But I haven’t seen with these eyes
Just two steps from my home lies
On a sheaf of paddy grain, a glistening drop of dew.
(Translation is from the Net. I don't know whether there is an authorized translation of this poem).
This is not meant in any way to take away from the Chaplin's talent, histrionic and otherwise, but to show how oblivious we are of our own culture and heritage and how we disregard our own cultural icons. And to think that this would be the fate of a man about whom the film-maker Akira Kurosawa had said, 'Not to have seen the cinema of Ray means existing in the world without seeing the sun or the moon'.