Archive · 14 Nov 2025
Adoor Gopalakrishnan Remembers Ritwik Ghatak as FTII Professor
Imagine a famous movie director named Adoor Gopalakrishnan talking about his old teacher, Ritwik Ghatak.
Adoor said Ghatak was a really cool, but a bit messy, film professor at a film school.
Even though Ghatak's movies weren't shown much when he was alive, he was a big inspiration.
Adoor explained that Ghatak came from a theater background, which made him different from another famous director, Satyajit Ray, who came from art.
But Adoor said they actually admired each other a lot!
Adoor learned a lot about using sounds in movies from Ghatak, like adding noises that weren't really there but made the movie more interesting.
Ghatak even took over a student's film because he loved making movies so much!
Adoor also mentioned he might make a new film himself.
Adoor Gopalakrishnan spoke at the first Ritwik Ghatak Memorial Conversation during the Kolkata International Film Festival.
Gopalakrishnan recalled Ghatak as a maverick professor of direction at the Film and Television Institute of India.
He noted Ghatak's films received international recognition only after his death.
Gopalakrishnan highlighted Ghatak's theatrical background influenced his filmmaking, distinguishing him from Satyajit Ray, while stressing their mutual admiration.
Key lessons learned from Ghatak included the impactful use of extraneous sound in films.
- Who
- Adoor Gopalakrishnan (filmmaker and former student of Ritwik Ghatak)
- What
- Shared memories and lessons learned from his teacher, Ritwik Ghatak, at the first Ritwik Ghatak Memorial Conversation.
- When
- Wednesday
- Where
- Sisir Mancha, Kolkata, during the Kolkata International Film Festival.
- Why
- To commemorate and discuss the legacy of filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak.
Viewpoint of Adoor Gopalakrishnan
Contrasting with Satyajit Ray
Filmmaking Approach
Viewpoint of Adoor Gopalakrishnan
Ghatak, from a theatre background, did not focus on meticulous details, unlike Ray who came from painting.
Contrasting with Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray was meticulous about every detail in his filmmaking.
Student Interaction
Viewpoint of Adoor Gopalakrishnan
Ghatak's classes were intimate with only a few students present, and he analyzed his own films rather than discussing theory.
Contrasting with Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray was a more formal filmmaker, implied by his background.
- Event
- First Ritwik Ghatak Memorial Conversation
- Location
- Sisir Mancha, Kolkata
- Date
- Wednesday
- Speakers
- Adoor Gopalakrishnan and Anup Singh
- Ghatak's Films Mentioned
- Ajantrik, Bari Theke Paliye, Meghe Dhaka Tara, Subarnarekha, Komal Gandhar, Nagarik, Rendezvous (student film he took over)
- Gopalakrishnan's Learning from Ghatak
- Use of sound, including extraneous sounds for effect