Camel Versus Train: Behind the Scenes with Satyajit Ray

About half a mile from the famous golden fortress, we had found a small palace that was now being used as a guest house. It was large enough to accommodate the whole unit, which had nearly thirty-five people. The next morning, we rose early and went straight into the fort to shoot the last few scenes of the film. Then we returned to the guest house for a quick lunch, before going back to the same spot as the day before. We got there by half past two to find that the camels and their owners had already arrived. Now we only had to wait for the train to turn up.

One look at the sky told me that the postponement of our shooting was another blessing in disguise. The sky was now flecked with grey and white clouds. Golden sunlight, streaming through the gaps in the clouds fell on the desert, thereby giving us a light that was suitably striking for this dramatic scene.

The train, too, arrived most punctually. We could not, of course, help feeling anxious until it did, for we all knew that this was our last chance to shoot the scene. When at last we heard the train huffing and puffing on its way, a collective sigh of relief went up from the entire unit.

Siddhartha Chatterjee and Soumitra Chatterjee in a still from Sonar Kella

The driver saw us and stopped the train. We then explained what was required of him. He would have to go back a quarter of a mile. Then he would have to come forward again to meet us. We would start our camera as soon as the train came into view, and get the camels to start running with Feluda and team on their back. The open-topped jeep would wait on the road with the camera in it, and move alongside the camels. The driver seemed to understand everything, except what had not actually been spelt out. As a result of this, our first attempt to take the shot failed rather miserably.

As the train got closer, the camels began their run, and with them ran our jeep. Then they reached the railway line and Feluda took out his handkerchief to wave at the driver. With a squeal of the brakes, the train stopped almost at once. "Why did you stop?" we asked the driver. "Why," he replied innocently, "that Babu just waved his hanky and asked me to stop, didn’t he?" The poor driver did not know the story of the film, so obviously had no idea what a difference his action would make to the following events. Anyway, we had to get ready for take two.

Train, go back. Camels, go back. Jeep, go back. Start again. This time, everyone knew what had to be done. There should not be any problem.

The train reversed for a quarter of a mile and started again. There it was…we could hear it coming…it was almost within view…camels, get ready. A group of men were about to start pushing the jeep. The first attempt had made them break into a sweat. They were bracing themselves for the second. I opened my mouth to say, "Start camera!" but the words froze on my lips. The train was coming, yes, but where was the smoke? The whole idea was to show the glowing desert landscape disappear momentarily behind a thick layer of smoke from the engine. How else would the scene be interesting and exciting? Stop, stop, stop again…train, camels, jeep. We had to start all over again.

Every member of the unit left their position and rushed forward to stop the train, their arms raised high. Roko, roko! The train squealed to a stop once more. What had happened to the smoke? The stoker made a confession. He was so busy watching the shooting that he had forgotten to put enough coal in the boiler. No wonder there was no smoke. Okay, but this time we could not afford another mistake. The light was just right. If we had to make a fourth attempt, it would be gone. I decided not to take any chances, and got one of our own men to join the stoker. Feluda, Topshe and Jatayu mounted their camels once more. There was one advantage in taking the same shot three times. I knew none of the actors would have to pretend to be tired and uncomfortable. Jatayu already looked as if all he wanted to do was go home.

Nevertheless, each of them wanted the shot to be perfect, so they were all prepared to ignore their personal discomfort. Luckily, everything went according to plan the third time. We ended up with a shot that was perfect in every way. However, this did not mean that our work was over. We still needed the train later that night at ten o’clock, to shoot another scene showing the railway station at Ramdeora.

The train to Jaisalmer would arrive in the middle of the night, and Feluda, Topshe and Lalmohan would get into it. As the train started to move, Mandar Bose, dressed as a Rajasthani, would run and grab the handle of their compartment. But that is another story.

First published in Sandesh Summer Number 1975, Translated from the original Bengali by Bijaya Ray.

Edited excerpt reproduced with permissions from Satyajit Ray: Feluda In The Golden Fortress, Edited By Sandip Ray, Co-Edited By Riddhi Goswami, published by Penguin Random House.