The works of Satyajit Ray present a perspective understanding of the relations between different cultures , and his ideas remain pertinent to the major cultural debates in the contemporary society . In Ray's films and writiings , one can easily notice three general underlying themes : the importance of differences between the individualities , the necessity to understand the heterogeneous character of our society and the need for more inter community dialogues .
Ray saw no reason for closing one's doors to the outside world , emphasising the need of inter cultural communication . This is in sharp contrast to the viewpoint of both the right and the left wing intellectuals ; both of these currents of political and social thought have a strange , somewhat inexplicable dislike for other perspectives on class and caste dynamics . Ray was always willing to learn , from anywhere - within India or abroad .
There can be little doubt about the importance that Ray attached to the distinctiveness of different cultures . In his book ' Our films Their Films ' , he noted the important fact that films acquire 'colour from all manner of indigenous factors such as habits of speech and behaviour , past traditions , present influences and so on .'
The celebration of these differences - the 'dizzying differences' - is far from what can be found in the laboured generalizations about 'our culture' , and the vigorous protests ' increasingly vocal , to keep 'our culture' , 'our modernity' distinctively unique and immune from the influence of 'their culture' , 'their modernity' . In our heterogeneity and in our openness lies our pride , not our disgrace . There is much to be learned in all from Ray's appreciation of cultural divides , along with his pursuit of communication across these divides . Ray's portrayal of the varieties of people that make us what we are cam never be outmatched . The difficulties of communications across cultures are real , as are the judgemental issues raised by the importance of cultural differences . But these recognitions do not lead us to accept the standard distinctions between different cultures . Nor do they give us cause to overlook the demands of practical reason and of political and social relevance in contemporary India , in favour of servility to some alleged historical contrasts .Ray taught us to be open to ideas . His Pather Panchali , despite of an alleged Italian influence ( Vittorio De Sica's Bicycle Thieves ) , was quintessentially an Indian film ., both in subject matter and in presentation . The Italian influence did not make it anything other than an Indian film - it helped it to become a great one . The great filmmaker's eagerness to seek the larger unit combined well with his enthusiasm for understanding the smallest of the small : the individuality of each person .
Ray saw no reason for closing one's doors to the outside world , emphasising the need of inter cultural communication . This is in sharp contrast to the viewpoint of both the right and the left wing intellectuals ; both of these currents of political and social thought have a strange , somewhat inexplicable dislike for other perspectives on class and caste dynamics . Ray was always willing to learn , from anywhere - within India or abroad .
There can be little doubt about the importance that Ray attached to the distinctiveness of different cultures . In his book ' Our films Their Films ' , he noted the important fact that films acquire 'colour from all manner of indigenous factors such as habits of speech and behaviour , past traditions , present influences and so on .'
The celebration of these differences - the 'dizzying differences' - is far from what can be found in the laboured generalizations about 'our culture' , and the vigorous protests ' increasingly vocal , to keep 'our culture' , 'our modernity' distinctively unique and immune from the influence of 'their culture' , 'their modernity' . In our heterogeneity and in our openness lies our pride , not our disgrace . There is much to be learned in all from Ray's appreciation of cultural divides , along with his pursuit of communication across these divides . Ray's portrayal of the varieties of people that make us what we are cam never be outmatched . The difficulties of communications across cultures are real , as are the judgemental issues raised by the importance of cultural differences . But these recognitions do not lead us to accept the standard distinctions between different cultures . Nor do they give us cause to overlook the demands of practical reason and of political and social relevance in contemporary India , in favour of servility to some alleged historical contrasts .Ray taught us to be open to ideas . His Pather Panchali , despite of an alleged Italian influence ( Vittorio De Sica's Bicycle Thieves ) , was quintessentially an Indian film ., both in subject matter and in presentation . The Italian influence did not make it anything other than an Indian film - it helped it to become a great one . The great filmmaker's eagerness to seek the larger unit combined well with his enthusiasm for understanding the smallest of the small : the individuality of each person .
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