“ You must be the writer?!” The tall man greeted me sitting in the large drawing room .

His unexpected, if direct greeting, knocked me down that night when I was meeting the great Satyajit Ray for the first time. The occasion was an informal dinner at my mother’s specially to meet the Rays.

Overwhelmed beyond words, I was mentally dancing with the moon! To be noticed by the great man was no joke. I was a young freelance writer at the time. Writing on new trends in cinema, on art, music – on whatever came my way as I loved writing. I was hungry for every word of feedback for my fledgling career. After the wonderful dinner with the Rays, I remember returning home jubilant. But I did not have the guts to call up Satyajit babu, as he was known. Taking his address from somewhere, I wrote him a thank you note. In which I mentioned my next Kolkata trip, asking , discreetly, if I may visit him. To my utter surprise his reply within the week. Not just a reply, it was a cordial invitation to visit him.

That in short it how it all began actually. My pen-friendship with Satyajit Ray, who quickly became Manikda from Satyajit Ray in the shortest time possible, lasted until his death. I took full advantage of his gracious nature, his easy going manner by writing to him frequently. Discussed films, his and those of others, and cinema in general. His knowledge was stupendous. Always warm, his replies were prompt. Whether through letters or in person, I enjoyed his unaffected humour, his warmth. One thing never ceased to surprise me, Manikda personally took all his phone calls. There was no secretary or assistant in between. For a man of his undisputed International stature, this is indeed incredible yet inspiring.

I visited him during the shooting of Shatraj Ke Khilari in 1977. Was privileged to watch Sir Richard Attenborough work on the set of this marvellous film thanks to the invitation. I interviewed Manikda no less than three times for lead stories. Ever obliging, he would remind me in his booming voice:

“ Do check if your little machine( recorder) is working. These machines often let you down!”

I always received encouragement for my work and I sought his in particular. When I subtitled his fantasy film Heerak Rajar Deshe in English, I was clearly nervous. But I need not have been. He heaped me with praise. Saying, he liked the work enough to trust me subtitling of all his films!!

I remember I was having afternoon tea in his Bishop Leroy road apartment when BBC broke the news about Indira Gandhi’s assassination. Visibly disturbed, Manikda ordered us to go home.

“ You better head home. It’s going to be chaos when the news goes viral But do you have a car ?” He asked anxiously.

“We will take a taxi” I had assured.

“Go home at once but do call me after you reach….” He said with concern. I have many fond memories of the outstanding film makeras I remember him again on this May 2nd, his current birth anniversary. If I admired Manikda’s films, I admired the individual, the generous, and sensitive man ​, equally well.​