Photographs by Nemai Ghosh Document Satyajit Ray’s Later Years and Filmmaking Process

Nemai Ghosh, who first met Satyajit Ray in 1968 during the making of Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne, served as Ray’s official photographer until the filmmaker’s last project, Agantuk, in 1991. Over these decades, Ghosh meticulously captured Ray both at work and at home in Kolkata, producing a remarkable archive that offers intimate glimpses into the life of one of India’s most revered directors. In his book Satyajit Ray at 70, Ray referred to Ghosh as a “sort of Boswell working with a camera rather than a pen.” Ghosh’s photography includes iconic black-and-white portraits as well as colour images published in Faces and Facets: Satyajit Ray in Colour (2011), now held by the DAG art institution. The photographs portray Ray composing music, operating cameras, interacting with his actors and crew, and spending time with family, revealing both his dedication and tireless work ethic. The collection also documents Ray’s physical decline, especially after his severe heart attack in 1983, highlighting how his son Sandip Ray assisted in later shoots. An exhibition of Ghosh’s colour photographs will be held by DAG in Delhi from May 9 to July 4. Ghosh passed away in 2020 at the age of 85, leaving behind a legacy of images that celebrate Ray’s genius and humanity, capturing him not just as a filmmaker, but as a thinker, artist, and mentor.