Fresh off the global success of The Odyssey, Oscar-winning filmmaker Christopher Nolan has paid tribute to legendary Indian director Satyajit Ray, describing him as “one of the great Indian filmmakers,” reports Hindustan Times.
During a visit to the Criterion Closet in New York, the acclaimed director browsed through the Criterion Collection’s extensive archive of classic films and selected several of his favourites.
Among them was The Apu Trilogy, Ray’s celebrated three-film masterpiece.
Speaking about the collection, Nolan praised Ray’s work and revealed that only the first instalment had left a lasting impression on him.
“And then there’s The Apu Trilogy by Satyajit Ray, one of the great Indian filmmakers. The trilogy starts with Pather Panchali, which is an absolutely incredible film. It just blew my mind. I haven’t yet seen parts two and three of the trilogy, so I’m pretty excited to get this and complete the story,” Nolan said in a video shared by the Criterion Collection.
His comments quickly resonated with film lovers, particularly in India, where many welcomed the recognition of one of the country’s greatest cinematic pioneers.
Fans flooded social media with praise.
One user wrote, “One GOAT appreciating another GOAT,” while another commented, “It’s like God praising another God.”
Others described the moment as “a master recognising a true master,” although some expressed surprise that Nolan had not yet watched the trilogy in its entirety.
Based on the novels of Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay, The Apu Trilogy comprises Pather Panchali (1955), Aparajito (1956) and Apur Sansar (1959).
The landmark series follows the life of Apu from childhood to adulthood, exploring themes of family, poverty, love, loss and ambition.
The films earned widespread international acclaim, winning multiple honours at the Cannes, Berlin and Venice film festivals, as well as three National Film Awards.
Nolan’s praise comes as The Odyssey continues its impressive run at the global box office.
The epic recorded the biggest opening weekend of the director’s career, earning $264 million worldwide.
In India, it has crossed ₹100 crore within its first week, becoming the country’s highest-grossing Hollywood release of the year.
Based on Homer’s ancient Greek epic, The Odyssey stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, the King of Ithaca, chronicling his perilous journey home after the Trojan War.
The ensemble cast also includes Anne Hathaway as Penelope and Tom Holland as Telemachus.
