Nolan, the Oscar-winning director behind “Inception”, “Interstellar”, “Dunkirk” and “Oppenheimer”, picked up “The Apu Trilogy” while browsing the collection of films in the closet. Speaking about Ray’s work, he singled out “Pather Panchali” (1955), the first instalment of the trilogy, describing it as “an absolutely incredible film” that “just blew my mind”.

As yet another stage of religious tension arises in the subcontinent, it was heartening to see Australians warm up to the great Bengali film director Satyajit Ray.