A Man of Silence - Bimal Roy

The title O Re Majhi , a recent book (Pralhad Agarwal) on my father, Bimal Roy, is inspired by these evocative opening words of poet/lyricist Shailendra, set to tune by S.D. Burman. The haunting bhatiali -boatman's song was the climax in Roy's last film Bandini -1963.The words o re majhi (oh, you boatman) are a strangely appropriate metaphor for baba. He was born in the land of a thousand rivers, in East Bengal (Bangladesh). And like the indigenous boatmen, my father, baba, set sail for the unknown shores at the age of 19.