Sonar Kella: Rajasthan Government plans to pay tribute to Satyajit Ray to mark 50 years of the film

Satyajit Ray’s path-breaking film Sonar Kella will turn 50 this year. The Rajasthan government has announced plans to install a statue of the maestro in Jaisalmer. Aajkaal.in contacted Sandip Roy to know the details. He said that he recently visited Rajasthan and heard about that plan. He is elated at the official announcement. Satyajit Ray popularised Jaisalmer Fort through his novel and his film Sonar Kella. Sandip said, “The film was released on December 27, 1974. From then on, Jaisalmer Fort has been like a pilgrimage for Bengali tourists.” 

How will the statue be? Sandip said he did not get any news regarding that. 

Hinglaj Dan Ratnu, an official of Rajasthan Travels Development Corporation in Kolkata, had said in a previous interview, “The district collectorate of Jaisalmer sent this proposal to the state government which got approved. I hope that the statue will be installed by this year’s September. But it has not been decided where it will be placed.” 

According to the tourist guides, 60% of the yearly tourists of Jaisalmer Fort are Bengalis. Apart from the famous dunes, desert, Rajasthani attire, jewelry, and dessert, Sonar Kella is a popular destination in Jaisalmer. The locals say that Feluda (Soumitra Chattopadhyay) has immortalized the fort. Has Sandip ever thought about making a sequel? Sandip said that he never thought about it, and he will not do such a thing. He said 'Some immortal creations happen only for once.'