There is probably nothing left to say about Satyajit Ray that has not already been said. Not only an exceptional director and the creator of Private Investigator Feluda, Ray was also a film critic, author, illustrator, music composer, calligrapher, publisher and graphic designer. An Economics graduate, Ray was always enchanted by the Arts. He joined Rabindranath Tagore's Viswa Bharati on his mother's persistence where he learned and contributed to some of the defining factors of his oeuvre. But after Ray met french filmmaker Jean Renoir and watched The Bicycle Thief by Vittorio De Sica he resolved to become a filmmaker. The rest, as they say was history. He went on to make 36 feature films, documentaries and shorts. In what might seem like an unbelievable fact, along with numerous international awards, Ray was awarded 32 National Awards, an honorary Academy Award and a Bharat Ratna in 1992. To celebrate the filmmaker that he was, we bring 15 of his best films, in no particular order. Apur Sansar (1959) What makes Apur Sansar, the third installation of The Apu Trilogy, a masterpiece? Of all the answers one can come up with, the most winning would be the fact that Apu is a highly-flawed character, taken to superstitions and despair. Ray made a much-loved hero without infusing him with heroism, love and just general hero-like qualities. When Aparna is left at the altar without a groom, it does not come naturally to Apu that he should go and marry her. When he is left alone with an infant - his own child - he runs away leaving the child with his grandparents. Ray did in 1959 what our current directors would not have the courage to do.

Charulata (1964)

Based on Rabindranath Tagore's novella, Nastanirh, Charulata is a bold movie much ahead of its time. But let's throw that cliche to the wind because this movie would warrant a ban across the country in current times. Charu and Bhupati are a wealthy couple; Bhupati runs a newspaper, The Sentinel, and Charu passes her time idly. But things rapidly change when Bhupati's cousin Amal giver her company on his request. The lonely Charu falls for Amal. What is left for a ruined couple after that then?

Charulata (1964)

Based on Rabindranath Tagore's novella, Nastanirh, Charulata is a bold movie much ahead of its time. But let's throw that cliche to the wind because this movie would warrant a ban across the country in current times. Charu and Bhupati are a wealthy couple; Bhupati runs a newspaper, The Sentinel, and Charu passes her time idly. But things rapidly change when Bhupati's cousin Amal giver her company on his request. The lonely Charu falls for Amal. What is left for a ruined couple after that then?