Sharmila Tagore Recalls Harsh Conditions During Aranyer Din Ratri: ‘I Had A Chowkidar’s Room, Simi Had A Bungalow'
Satyajit Ray’s iconic 1970 film 'Aranyer Din Ratri' (Days and Nights in the Forest) was recently screened in the Cannes Classics section at the ongoing Cannes Film Festival 2025. The restored version of the film was presented by acclaimed American filmmaker Wes Anderson, drawing significant attention from international audiences and critics alike.
The ensemble cast of Aranyer Din Ratri features legendary names such as Soumitra Chatterjee, Subhendu Chatterjee, Samit Bhanja, Rabi Ghosh, Sharmila Tagore, Kaberi Bose, Simi Garewal, and Aparna Sen. The special screening was attended by veteran actors Sharmila Tagore and Simi Garewal, who reminisced about their unforgettable experience working on the film.
Sharmila Tagore Recalls Shooting in Grueling Heat for Satyajit Ray
In a candid interaction with The Hollywood Reporter India, Sharmila Tagore recounted how she was approached by Satyajit Ray while filming Aaradhna with Rajesh Khanna.
“He said, ‘Will you work in my film? I need you for one month... in the month of May.’ Without thinking, I said yes. Then, after hanging up, I realized I was already committed to Shakti Samanta for Mere Sapno Ki Rani, which was being shot the same month.”
Rajesh Khanna’s schedule was packed, as he had recently won a talent contest and was committed to 12 producers. “His dates were very precious,” Sharmila added.
“I told Shakti ji, ‘I just have to do this film.’ Somehow, I negotiated and managed to join Ray’s shoot, and then returned to complete the other project.”
Sharmila, who made her acting debut in Satyajit Ray’s Apur Sansar (The World of Apu), shared that she had deep respect for the legendary director.
“I always treated him with a little bit of awe and respect—like one does to a father.”
Extreme Conditions in Palamu, Jharkhand
Tagore vividly recalled the difficult shooting conditions in the Palamu region of Jharkhand, where temperatures soared above 44°C during the summer. Due to limited accommodation, the cast was scattered across different locations.
“Simi (Garewal) and Kaberi (Bose) stayed in a plush forest bungalow in a nearby village. Ray, Soumitra Chatterjee, and the main crew stayed elsewhere. I stayed with Samit Bhanja, Subhendu Chatterjee, and Rabi Ghosh in another place.”
She stayed in the chowkidar’s room and had the only water cooler among them.
“It worked well in the dry heat. The others were in a tin-roofed shed. They used to joke and say, ‘I am Rabi roast,’ and Subhendu would call himself ‘sautéed Subhendu.’ It was unbearably hot. We could only shoot from 5:30 AM to 9:00 AM, and then again from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM.”
Despite the harsh climate, the cast bonded closely during downtime, turning the experience into a lasting memory.
“It was really a tough location, but we became good friends.”
Why Satyajit Ray Chose May to Shoot
According to Sharmila, Ray specifically chose May for a reason:“He wanted a particular barren look, with leafless trees. That visual was only possible in May—because soon after, the monsoon would make the landscape green and lush.”
About Aranyer Din Ratri
Aranyer Din Ratri is a Bengali-language adventure drama, adapted from the novel by Sunil Gangopadhyay. The film explores themes of urban alienation, friendship, and introspection through the story of four men who escape city life for a trip into the forest. Set against the rugged backdrop of Palamu, one of Jharkhand’s 24 districts, the film’s production faced intense heat and logistical challenges due to the region’s extreme summer temperatures.
movies