Sandip Ray to cast Dhritiman as Prof Shonku

The exploits of Satyajit Ray's erudite Professor Shonku, the peripatetic scientist in Ray's hugely popular science fiction stories, will grace the big screen soon, with son Sandip Ray directing the film.
Ray's favourite actor Dhritiman Chatterjee is tipped to play the role.
Professor Shonku needs no introduction, especially the children, who have grown up with his style and deep scientific knowledge.
"I wish to start the filming of Shonku in four years' time as the pre-production work is yet to start and none but Sundar-da (Dhritiman Chatterjee) fits the bill," Sandip told PTI.
"Making Shonku is not going to be easy. It will need an elaborate canvas and a lot of money. I'm still working on the idea, the story board and other things....Let's see," he revealed.

Asked what made him select Dhritiman, the lead actor of Satyajit Ray's inimitable "Pratidwandi" (Rival), for the role, Sandip said, "He has sharpness and suaveness - both pre-requisites to essay the role.

"Also Sundar-da's English pronunciation, his erudition and intellect and acceptability to a discerning all India audience will clinch it in his favour," Sandip said.
The film will have to be interspersed with both Bengali and English dialogues befitting the characters' profile and their social standing and circumstances they are thrown into, but not a bilingual version to be sure.
"Also in this age of FX Editor you have to be mindful of the visual element of the film which should back up the rich content in Baba's work," Sandip said.

Sandip says his next film on Feluda, the suave sleuth by Satyajit Ray, will be "Gangtoke Gandogol", written by his father, which is expected to hit the screens around 2017.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the character of Feluda which first appeared in Bengali children's magazine 'Sandesh'. The Feluda films made by Satyajit Ray had Soumitra Chatterjee playing the detective.
His son rooted for Sabyasachi Chakraborty to do the role in Feluda films directed by him. In his next Feluda venture, actor Abir Chatterjee will do the honours.
Sandip had also for the first time brought Feluda onto the small screen after his famous father's last feature film on the sleuth "Joy Baba Felunath" was released in the 80s.