Christopher Nolan's admiration for Indian cinema has once again come into focus, with the Oscar-winning filmmaker singling out Satyajit Ray's Pather Panchali as one of the most impactful films he has ever watched.
During a visit to the Criterion Closet, a popular video series by the Criterion Collection in which filmmakers browse and pick films from its extensive library, Nolan selected Ray's acclaimed The Apu Trilogy and spoke about the lasting impression the first film left on him.
Calling Ray "one of the great Indian filmmakers," Nolan said the trilogy opens with Pather Panchali, which he described as "an absolutely incredible film." He added, "It just blew my mind," before revealing that he was taking home the collection because he had not yet watched the remaining two instalments. "I'm pretty excited to get this and complete the story," he said.
The revelation quickly caught the attention of Indian film lovers, many of whom welcomed the filmmaker's appreciation of one of India's most celebrated auteurs. Social media users hailed the moment as one master recognising another, while several were surprised to learn that Nolan had only seen Pather Panchali and not Aparajito or Apur Sansar.
Adapted from Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay's novels, The Apu Trilogy chronicles the life of its central character, Apu, from his childhood in rural Bengal to adulthood. Comprising Pather Panchali (1955), Aparajito (1956) and Apur Sansar (1959), the trilogy is widely regarded as one of the defining achievements of world cinema. It earned multiple honours at international film festivals, including Cannes, Berlin and Venice, while also winning three National Film Awards in India.
Nolan's comments come at a time when his latest directorial venture, The Odyssey, is enjoying a strong theatrical run worldwide. Starring Matt Damon as the Greek hero Odysseus, alongside Anne Hathaway and Tom Holland, the epic adaptation of Homer's classic poem has emerged as the biggest opening of Nolan's career. The film has also performed exceptionally well in India, crossing the Rs 100-crore mark and becoming the highest-grossing Hollywood release in the country this year.