After working with PC Barua, Bimal Roy thought of making his own film. He made the Bengali film, Udayer Pathey (1944). Even though everyone -- the actor, actress and director -- were newcomers, the film became a phenomenal hit. It ran for more than a year. Later, he dubbed it in Hindi, calling it Hum Rahi.
The the film's title song was Jana Gana Mana. This was way before India got its independence and Jana Gana Mana became our national anthem. The story was so modern and crisp.
He became a star overnight, and everyone wanted to work with him. Even Mrinal Sen and Satyajit Ray. Ritwik Ghatak was my father's assistant. People in Bengal knew him much before he came to Mumbai.
Saratchandra Chatterjee wrote for the middle class, and Bimal Roy adapted most of his stories. Nobody had approached the middle-class as well as my father. His second Bengali film was not a hit but it was a strong movie and a direct attack on the British rule.
After New Theatres closed down, he came to Mumbai as Ashok Kumar invited him to work with him in Bombay Talkies. He was very much in demand. In those days, around 1949-50, he was paid Rs 50,000 per film!
Also read: Classics Revisited: Madhumati
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