‘Pather Panchali’ cinematographer Soumendu Roy passes away

Noted cinematographer Soumendu Roy who was a close associate of the legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray passed away today at his residence in Ballygunge, Kolkata. The 90-year-old artiste was the last living member of Satyajit Ray's unit.

According to media reports, Soumendu Roy had been suffering from old-age issues for quite some time, until he succumbed today.

Soumendu Roy has been the cinematographer for twenty-one Satyajit Ray films, including the classic "Pather Panchali". The artiste had started off as a camera caretaker for the film but he later became the cinematographer for the film.

He was also honoured with the IFFI Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award back in 2020.

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Satyajit Ray: A director's gaze

The artiste had led a solitary life without ever getting married and contributed immensely to the advancement of cinema.

Satyajit Ray and Soumendu Roy.

Soumendu Roy's illustrious career as a cinematographer is decorated with a multitude of famed films including "Teen Kanya" (1961), "Ashani Sanket" (1973), "Shatranj Ke Khilari" (1977), "Ghare Baire" (1984), and "Charachar" (1994), amongst many others.

Though Soumendu Roy ended his career as a cinematographer back in 2000, the camera artiste continued to spread his knowledge and experience by teaching filming classes in various institutions.