Archive · 4 Sep 2026
Wes Anderson Highlights Satyajit Ray’s Charulata Among Road-Trip Picks
Wes Anderson was asked to choose films for a family road trip.
He visited a traveling selection of films from the Criterion Collection.
He picked Satyajit Ray’s movie Charulata, which is also called The Lonely Wife.
Anderson said Ray is one of his favorite great filmmakers.
He explained that Charulata inspired binocular scenes in his movie Moonrise Kingdom.
He also chose several other classic and newer films.
Anderson has previously said that another Ray scene inspired Asteroid City.
He describes these borrowings as a respectful way of honoring Ray.
Wes Anderson selected Satyajit Ray’s Charulata as travel viewing during a Criterion Collection video.
Anderson called Charulata one of Ray’s best films and said he borrowed from its binocular scenes for Moonrise Kingdom.
He also chose films including The 39 Steps, The Red Shoes, Heaven Can Wait, Design for Living, The Lady Eve, Stagecoach, and Flow.
The article says Anderson was selecting five other films, but it later lists seven additional titles.
Anderson has also acknowledged borrowing a memory-game scene from Ray’s Aranyer Din Ratri for Asteroid City.
- Who
- Hollywood filmmaker Wes Anderson and filmmaker Satyajit Ray are central to the story.
- What
- Anderson recommended Charulata and other films, and discussed borrowing elements from Ray’s work.
- When
- During Anderson’s latest conversation for the Criterion Collection’s Mobile Closet Picks! video series.
- Where
- At the Criterion Collection’s mobile unit, before a family road trip across America.
- Why
- Anderson was choosing essential travel viewing and expressing admiration for Ray’s filmmaking.
- Featured film
- Satyajit Ray’s Charulata, translated as The Lonely Wife.
- Anderson’s connection
- He said he borrowed binocular scenes from Charulata for Moonrise Kingdom.
- Other selected films
- The 39 Steps, The Red Shoes, Heaven Can Wait, Design for Living, The Lady Eve, Stagecoach, and Flow.
- Selection discrepancy
- The article initially says Anderson chose five other films, but later names seven additional films.
- Earlier borrowing
- Anderson said he lifted a memory-game scene from Aranyer Din Ratri for Asteroid City.
- Other tribute
- Anderson dedicated The Darjeeling Limited to Ray and frequently uses Ray’s music.