As Ritwik Ghatak enters his centenary year, his cinematic legacy remains one of the most powerful and complex in Indian film history. While his genius went largely unrecognized during his lifetime, today, he is hailed as one of the greatest filmmakers in the world. His films, deeply rooted in the trauma of Partition and the cultural identity of Bengal, continue to evoke strong emotional responses. The iconic moment from Meghe Dhaka Tara, where Neeta cries out, "Dada, ami banchte chai", is one such instance of his deep engagement with human suffering.

Redefining Indian Cinema

Ghatak transformed the Indian cinematic narrative by moving away from realism and commercial entertainment. As film scholar Sanjoy Mukhopadhyay observes, Ghatak sought to make cinema a cultural practice that connected people with their history and identity. His films do not simply document the pain of Partition; rather, they depict the aftermath—the lives of refugees who struggle with displacement and the loss of their past.

To achieve this, Ghatak employed mythology, folk culture, and melodrama—storytelling elements intrinsic to Bengal. Mukhopadhyay notes that in Meghe Dhaka Tara, Neeta is portrayed as a sacrificial Mother Goddess figure, reinforcing the mythological depth in Ghatak’s work. In Subarnarekha, the use of character names—Sita marrying Abiram, the son of a low-caste woman—suggests a radical reinterpretation of traditional epics where the subaltern becomes the hero.

A Unique Cinematic Language

Ghatak's cinematic style was unconventional and deeply personal. Tridib Poddar, from SRFTI, emphasizes Ghatak’s use of wide lenses, low-angle shots, asymmetrical compositions, and melodrama to forge a visual language rooted in Indian emotions and traditions. His belief in the collective unconscious made his films deeply resonant with viewers. Even Satyajit Ray, towards the end of his life, acknowledged Ghatak as the most "Indian filmmaker" among his contemporaries.

While Ghatak's films were shaped by Marxist ideology, he is not easily categorized as a political filmmaker like Mrinal Sen. Politics was an intrinsic part of his storytelling rather than an external theme. Poddar asserts that while Ray’s cinema allows one to learn language and technique, Ghatak’s films inspire a search for one’s own vision.

Influence and Impact

Ghatak’s work profoundly influenced students at FTII, Pune, shaping an entire generation of filmmakers. Cinematographer Sunny Lahiri highlights how Ghatak’s films, despite their epic scope, were deeply rooted in personal and local realities. His ability to challenge class hierarchies even within commercial cinema, as seen in Madhumati, showcases his nuanced approach to storytelling.

Music and sound design played crucial roles in Ghatak’s films. Lahiri points to the use of silence, breathing sounds, and classical music to evoke emotions—whether it be Shankar’s Hamsadhwani in Meghe Dhaka Tara or the sound of a woman’s breath signifying her wedding in Titas Ekti Nadir Naam.

The Undying Presence of Ghatak

Even today, nearly 50 years after his passing, no filmmaker has been able to replicate Ghatak’s unique artistic and ideological synthesis. Gour Karmakar, who worked closely with him, recalls his meticulous composition of frames, particularly his signature low-angle shots.

As an exhibition in Ghatak’s honor is set to open at Jibansmriti Digital Archive, Uttarpara, it serves as a reminder of the lasting impact of his films. Ghatak’s cinema was not merely about telling stories—it was about giving voice to the unheard, weaving history into myth, and using the medium as an instrument of cultural and political expression. His centenary is not just a celebration of a filmmaker but an acknowledgment of a visionary who continues to inspire filmmakers and cinephiles worldwide.