Since you requested a "proper feature," I have organized the works of Satyajit Ray into a definitive, curated collection. This list separates his feature films from his acclaimed short films and documentaries, along with a ranking and a guide on where to watch them.
Satyajit Ray ’s cinematic legacy consists of 36 films, including legendary feature-length dramas, intimate short films, and insightful documentaries. His work, primarily in Bengali, is celebrated for its deep humanism and meticulous craftsmanship, earning him an Academy Honorary Award for his lifetime achievements. The Definitive Features
Citation for academic use:
This paper is a reference guide. For critical analysis, see Andrew Robinson’s “Satyajit Ray: The Inner Eye” (1989) and the complete filmography in “The Apu Trilogy” Criterion booklets (2015).
Part 4: Why You Need the Short Films in Your Collection
Many people ignore the shorts, but doing so means you miss Ray’s most experimental work.
Part 3: How to Build Your Satyajit Ray Collection
Given that Ray shot films from the 1950s to the 1990s, the quality of prints varies wildly. Here is the current status of "all movies and shortfilm" availability.
The Missing Piece: "Sikkim" & "Pikoo"
Until recently, Sikkim was unavailable due to the Indian government's ban (lifted only in 2010). Pikoo is notoriously missing from most Western streaming services because of a rights dispute between French television and the Ray estate. The best way to watch Pikoo is the 2013 "Satyajit Ray: The Master of His Craft" DVD box set released by the National Film Archive of India (NFAI).
Assemble the collection. You will not find a single weak frame.
Why it's useful: It serves as a universal allegory for capitalism vs. simplicity and is often used to study how visual storytelling can convey complex social themes without a single word of dialogue. Anthologies & Story Collections
Ray’s shorter works are as meticulously crafted as his features:
