Fifty essays. One extraordinary, uncompromising artist. This landmark volume brings together reflections, memories and critical writings on Ritwik Ghatak, one of India’s most consequential yet historically underappreciated film-makers. A visionary whose films were too ahead of their time, Ghatak saw commercial failure, personal turmoil and social disillusionment—even as his work carved an indelible mark on global cinema.
From the wounds of Partition to his revolutionary ideas on art and politics, Ghatak’s films emerged from the depths of a tormented yet fiercely imaginative mind. Though he died in 1976 a broken man, thousands thronged his funeral—a testament to the emotional power and cultural significance of his art.
On his centenary, this collection of essays—written by collaborators, family, scholars and admirers—celebrates his genius, contradictions, radical vision and lasting legacy.
Shamya Dasgupta is a sports journalist and deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo, as well as an avid cinema enthusiast. He is the author of Don’t Disturb the Dead: The Story of the Ramsay Brothers and several acclaimed books on sports, including Bhiwani Junction and Cricket Changed My Life. He has also translated Mahasweta Devi’s Laayl-e Aasmaner Aayna into English (Mirror of the Darkest Night). He lives and works in Bangalore.