Mumbai, Oct 15:  National award-winning filmmaker Shoojit Sircar has time and again delivered some of the truly remarkable films in his career, showcasing his exceptional storytelling. While the iconic filmmaker carries a great body of work, he is also a great admirer of Satyajit Ray and his work, considering Ray to be his ‘guru.’

Sircar believes that his own films are heavily influenced by Ray’s cinematic legacy. Recently, at a panel discussion at IFP, Shoojit Sircar said, “Satyajit Ray has been my guru and still I think his films are so much influence in my life and in my films also.

Apart from that, I have watched a lot of Oliver Stone films, Fellini, Buñuel (Luis Buñuel), Mrinal Sen, Ritwik Ghatak, there are many.

So, at that time, I think those films didn’t have this kind of exhibition, this kind of distribution.” He added, “For example, if it was Mumbai and if it was a Ray film, it will be showing in maybe one in somewhere in town in one theatre.

It never had a chance to go to many theatres. Things are different now, I mean there are many theatres to exhibit your films but at that time it was only, like I grew up in Delhi and it was only one theatre where I could see these kinds of films, wherever Bergman films or Buñuel films or Ray films. So I think these films were my influences.”

On the work front, Shoojit Sircar is gearing up for his untitled project, which will release this year. His upcoming film, a slice-of-life drama stars Abhishek Bachchan and is slated for release at the end of November. In 2005, he made his directorial debut with the romantic war drama ‘Yahaan.’

Shoojit gained recognition with the critically acclaimed and commercially successful social romantic comedy ‘Vicky Donor’ for which he received the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.

IANS