How Satyajit Ray guided a 14-year-old Sharmila Tagore into cinema
Jan 09, 2026
Tagore was just 14 when Ray cast her in 'Apur Sansar' (1959), the final film in his acclaimed Apu Trilogy. At that age, she had no formal "exposure" to films, no understanding of the mechanics of acting, and little sense of the cinematic legacy she was stepping into. Looking back now, she recalls that the experience felt less intimidating than one might imagine, largely because of Ray's gentle approach.
