This legendary filmmaker had a filmy love story of his own where he married his cousin and kept their relationship secret for years.
The tag of India’s greatest actor may be up for debate. Thespians like Balraj Sahni and Naseeruddin Shah vie with superstars Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, and MG Ramachandran. There is no one right answer. However, when it comes to the question of India’s greatest filmmaker, there seems to be a consensus among most informed parties. Satyajit Ray is widely regarded as the finest film director from India – both among Indian and foreign audiences.
Satyajit Ray’s personal life and how he met wife Bijoya
Cinephiles know of Satyajit Ray’s filmography and his achievements. His Apu Trilogy (particularly Pather Panchali) is regarded as one of the greatest films in world cinema history. He was given an honorary Oscar in 1992 for his contribution to cinema. And he gave both Bangla and Hindi cinema some all time classics like Shatranj Ke Khiladi, Devi, and Charulata. But his personal life is just an interesting. Ray’s wife Bijoya was his first cousin, whom he first met when he was 10 and she was 14. Bijoya was the daughter of his uncle Charu Chandra Das and she came to live with his family in 1931 after the death of her father.
Satyajit Ray and Bijoya’s romance
The two youngsters were immediately drawn to each other, as per reports, because they were both interested in cinema and Western classical music. While details of their lives together as children remain largely unknown, reports have said that they always had a liking for each other and became constant companions since they lived under the same roof. In 1940, Bijoya left for Bombay to pursue a film career that did not pan out. Meanwhile Satyajit Ray had also been developing an interest in filmmaking. In 1949, after years of keeping their relationship hush hush, the two married. Their only son Sandip was born in 1953.
Satyajit Ray with Bijoya and son Sandip
Satyajit Ray and Bijoya’s marriage
Satyajit Ray often described Bijoya as his source of inspiration. She remained his constant inspiration through the 43 years they were married, right from Ray’s first feature films to his eventual death in 1992. After Ray’s death, she lived with her son Sandip and even wrote an autobiography called Amader Kotha. In 2015, she passed away at the age of 97.
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