Renowned cinematographer Soumendu Roy passed away on 28th September in Calcutta at the age of 90. He was a bachelor. He had shot 21 films made by Satyajit Ray, including Sonar Kella and Shatranj Ke Khilari.
Roy also worked with other filmmakers like Tapan Sinha and Tarun Mazumdar. He won National Awards for his cinematography in Ashani Sanket (1973), Sonar Kella (1974) and Shatranj Ke Khilari (1977). In the non-feature film category, he bagged the National Award for Raja Sen’s Suchitra Mitra (1993).
Among the other films shot by Soumendu Roy are Teen Kanya, Aranyer Din Ratri, Kapurush-Mahapurush, Seemabaddha, Hirak Rajar Deshe and Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne.
Roy’s connection with Satyajit Ray began on the sets of the latter’s Pather Panchali for which the filmmaker had hired the Mitchell camera from Technicians’ Studio. Roy worked as an apprentice in the studio. He was given the task of being a camera caretaker on behalf of the studio.
His other works included M.S. Sathyu’s documentary Islam In India, Tapan Sinha’s Ek Doctor Ki Maut and Wheelchair, Tarun Mazumdar’s Palatak, Alor Pipasa, Balika Badhu and Kucheli, and Buddhadeb Dasgupta’s Charachar.
Roy had an eye for details. He had a knack of playing with the lighting to add grandeur.