The four-part anthology web series Ray is based on the short stories of Satyajit Ray, one of India’s most well-known filmmakers, producers, and writers. The four episodes have various styles, ranging from thrillers to comedies. Still, they all focus on people who are suffering in some way. Will these modern retellings of Ray’s stories live up to the auteur’s vision?

In Forget Me Not, Ali Fazal, Shweta Basu Prasad, and Shruthy Menon feature a film inspired by Bipin Chowdhury-r Smritibhrom. Bahurupiya is a film based on Bahurupi and starring Kay Kay Menon and Rajesh Sharma. Manoj Bajpayee and Gajraj Rao star in Hungama Hai Kyon Barpa, which Barin Bhowmik-er Byaram. Spotlight, the final installment in the series, is based on Ray’s short tale of the same name and stars Harshvardhan Kapoor, Akansha Ranjan Kapoor, and Chandan Roy Sanyal.

As much as you may have heard about Satyajit Ray’s immaculate filmmaking abilities, his writing brilliance hasn’t earned nearly as much respect in India outside of Bengal. 

Satyajit Ray’s centennial is in 2021, and Netflix’s new anthology Ray is a tribute to the maestro. The anthology is a collection of four films directed by Sayantan Mukherjee based on Ray’s short stories. Two of them are produced and directed by Srijit Mukherji. In contrast, the other two are directed by Abhishek Chaubey and Vasan Bala, respectively.

Satyajit ray

Suppose you’re familiar with Ray’s films. In that case, you’ll know that he has a certain sensibility and humanism that we’ve come to associate with him. Satyajit Ray’s ability to portray complex human emotions with all nuances, despite his minimalist style, has inspired generations of filmmakers. His command of the craft is outstanding.

Also Read, The Best Movies That Satyajit Ray Gave Us…

Overview

Genre
Drama, Thriller
Director
Abhishek Chaubey, Srijit Mukherji, Vasan Bala
Writer
Satyajit Ray, Niren Bhatt, Siraj Ahmed, Sayantan Mukherjee
Editor
Prerna Saigal, Pronoy Dasgupta
Cinematography
Arkodeb Mukherjee, Eeshit Narain
Production
Viacom18 Studios
Original Language
Hindi
Release date
25 June 2021
Platform
Netflix

 

Story plot of Ray:

Forget Me Not

ali faisal

A young lady walks and comes into a high-end rooftop bar in Mumbai, asks the barman if they serve dinner, and then recognizes some stranger at another table nearby.

The best part about Forget Me Not is that it will keep you guessing until the end, and Srijit Mukherji manages to keep Ipsit’s character mysterious. Ali Fazal absolutely nails his role as Ipsit Rama Nair. His transformation from a dapper and dashing businessman to a frantic anxious man in search of answers is spot on. In every scene, his panic and distress are palpable. Shweta Basu Prasad (Maggie), Anindita Bose (Rhea Saran), and Shruthy Menon (Amala) provide adequate support to the engaging story. Srijit brilliantly renews Satyajit Ray’s Bipin Chowdhury-r Smritibhrom by giving it a modern edge while retaining the essence.

Bahurupiya 

kay kay menon in ray

Indrashish is a Kolkata-based makeup artist. Everything does not appear to be going well for him. However, things change for the better when he inherits Rs 75 lakh from his grandmother, as well as a book on prosthetics and makeup. He embarks on a path of vengeance, but things go wrong when he meets a Pir Baba.

Though the story lacks momentum initially, it eventually picks up and gives us what could be a nail-biting ending. Kay Kay Menon plays an important role in the segment and never falters. The prosthetics could have used some improvement because that is where the story’s unique selling point lies. Srijit’s Bahurupiya is ominous and gruesome.

HUNGAMA HAI KYON BARPA

Manoj Bajpayee in ray

Musafir Ali (Manoj Bajpayee), a ghazal singer, is on his trip from Bhopal to New Delhi. Aslam Baig, a former wrestler, is his co-passenger (Gajraj Rao). Musafir can’t recall where, but he knows he’s met Aslam before. After considerable thinking, Musafir recalls a chance meeting with Aslam ten years ago. This, however, was no average encounter.

Onscreen explosions can be expected when two inexplicably skilled actors cross paths. This is the only portion of the four stories with some comic relief. This is the film for you if you enjoy dark comedies. Manoj Bajpayee and Gajraj Rao are both excellent in their parts. The plot concentrates mostly upon the characters of Manoj and Gajraj and their connection.

Spotlight:

harshvardhan kapoor in ray

A series features veteran actors like Manoj Bajpayee, Kay Kay Menon, Gajraj Rao, and Ali Fazal, director Vasan Bala’s choice to select Harshvardhan Kapoor, the protagonist of the last episode was unquestionably daring. But does the gamble pay off? In bits and pieces, we’d say. It’s not that Kapoor is horrible; he just can’t seem to convey the radiance, the atmosphere of a superstar onscreen.

Chandan Roy Sanyal, who plays Vikram’s sidekick Roby (a tribute to legendary Bengali actor Robi Ghosh), delivers an outstanding performance. Akansha Ranjan Kapoor plays a supporting part. In trying to make a point, the story also has a propensity to become repetitive and hammer on the same issue. Parts of the original story have been changed to make it more interesting.

 

Ray is an ambitious attempt to convey Satyajit Ray’s storytelling essence. Some function, while others do not. The anthology is a must-see, including at least one gem in Hungama Kyon Hai Barpa and possibly another in Bahurupiya. The rest have some good moments, but not enough.