Christopher Nolan Celebrates Satyajit Ray's Apu Trilogy During Criterion Collection Visit

During a recent visit to the Criterion Collection, acclaimed director Christopher Nolan expressed his admiration for Satyajit Ray's Apu Trilogy, highlighting its impact on him as a filmmaker. He shared his excitement about completing the trilogy and also discussed his interest in Martin Scorsese's short films. This visit marks Nolan's third trip to India, where he has previously filmed notable scenes for his projects. Discover more about Nolan's cinematic influences and his thoughts on Ray's masterpieces in the full article.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jul 27, 2026, 05:52 IST

Nolan's Tribute to Ray's Cinematic Masterpiece

Renowned filmmaker Christopher Nolan, whose latest IMAX film The Odyssey is breaking box office records and receiving acclaim globally, recently expressed admiration for Satyajit Ray's The Apu Trilogy during a visit to the Criterion Collection's iconic storage facility in New York. He hailed Ray as one of India's greatest directors.

In a video shared by the Criterion Collection on X, Nolan spent nearly five minutes exploring the shelves, selecting various titles and sharing insights on their significance to him as a director.

Regarding Ray's trilogy, he remarked, “The Apu Trilogy by Satyajit Ray is a masterpiece from one of the finest Indian filmmakers. It begins with Pather Panchali, which is an astonishing film that truly amazed me. I haven't yet watched the second and third parts of the trilogy, so I'm eager to acquire them and complete the narrative.”

The trilogy consists of Pather Panchali (1955), Aparajito (1956), and Apur Sansar (1959), all adapted from Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay's novels, depicting Apu's transformation from a destitute childhood in rural Bengal to adulthood.

Nolan also selected a compilation of Martin Scorsese's short films, stating, “I need to grab the Scorsese shorts. I've seen The Big Shave, but I'm looking forward to watching the others.” He further mentioned Fritz Lang's The Testament of Dr. Mabuse as a significant influence that he and his brother considered while developing the Joker character for The Dark Knight.

This visit marked Nolan's third trip to India, coinciding with his promotional activities for The Odyssey. Previously, he filmed segments of Tenet in India in 2019 and captured scenes for The Dark Knight Rises at Jodhpur's Mehrangarh Fort in 2011.