'Pather Panchali blew my mind': Christopher Nolan hails Satyajit Ray's legacy, praises 'The Apu Trilogy'

Christopher Nolan has once again expressed his admiration for Indian cinema, this time paying tribute to legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray and his iconic Apu Trilogy. During a visit to the famous Criterion Closet in New York, the Oscar-winning director described Ray as "one of the greatest Indian filmmakers" and revealed that Pather Panchali had a profound impact on him when he first watched it.

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Ray's cinematic legacy

While browsing through the Criterion Collection's library of classic films, Nolan selected The Apu Trilogy among his favourite picks. Speaking about Ray's work, he said: "The Apu Trilogy by Satyajit Ray, one of the greatest Indian filmmakers. The trilogy starts with Pather Panchali, which is an absolutely incredible film. It just blew my mind."

Nolan also admitted that although he has seen the trilogy's first film, he has yet to watch the remaining two instalments and is looking forward to completing the story.

What is The Apu Trilogy?

Directed by Satyajit Ray and adapted from the novels of Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay, The Apu Trilogy consists of:

• Pather Panchali (1955)
• Aparajito (1956)
• Apur Sansar (1959)

The three Bengali-language films chronicle the life of Apu, following his journey from a poverty-stricken childhood in rural Bengal to adulthood. The trilogy is celebrated worldwide for its realistic storytelling, emotional depth and humanistic portrayal of ordinary life. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest achievements in Indian and world cinema.

Ray's enduring global influence

Satyajit Ray remains one of India's most celebrated filmmakers. Over his career, he directed classics including Charulata, Jalsaghar, Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne and Shatranj Ke Khiladi. His contributions to cinema earned him 32 National Film Awards, an Academy Honorary Award in 1992 and India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, the same year.

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Nolan's latest remarks add to the long list of international filmmakers who have acknowledged Ray's influence on global cinema. Martin Scorsese, Akira Kurosawa, Wes Anderson and James Ivory have previously spoken about Ray's impact on filmmaking across generations.

Nolan's growing connection with India

The appreciation comes shortly after Nolan visited India during the promotional tour of his latest film, The Odyssey. During his Mumbai visit, the filmmaker praised India's deep-rooted film culture, saying he had never been anywhere else with such a strong appreciation for cinema and audiences. He also recalled earlier visits to India, including filming portions of Tenet in Mumbai and The Dark Knight Rises in Jodhpur.