Film on Satyajit Ray's 'Professor Shanku' to hit screens on Christmas

A movie on Professor Shanku, a fictional character of an intrepid scientist created by legendary filmmaker-author Satyajit Ray, will hit the screens on Christmas. The Bengali movie, 'Professor Shanku O El Dorado', is being directed by Satyajit Ray's son Sandip Ray.

Speaking at the trailer launch of the movie on Friday, Sandip Ray said this was the first time that one of Professor Trilokeshwar Shanku's stories will be screened. "Veteran actor Dhritiman Chatterjee will essay the role of Professor Shanku. I am very excited. Shanku is known for his experiments and love for adventure," he said.

The movie revolves around Professor Trilokeshwar Shanku and his assistant Nakurbabu's quest to find the mythical city of El Dorado, during which they encounter tribes and wild animals in the Amazon forest in Brazil, Ray said. The fictional scientist's pet companion 'Newton' is also featured in the film.

Ray, who had first spoken about the film in 2017, said shooting for the movie had taken place in West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Brazil over the past one-and-half years. "I hope the audience will love the film as much as they loved Shanku's adventures in novels and stories," he said.

South American actors Paolo Ricardo Xavier, Roney Facchini and Fernando Borges De Souza are also in the cast.