At the end of a rainy workday, downtrodden bank clerk Paresh (Tulsi Chakraborty) waits out the storm under an awning at Calcutta’s Curzon Park. While there, he discovers a mysterious pebble. Back home, he quickly realizes his “marble” can turn any object it touches into gold. Misadventures ensue in this fable-like comedy as Paresh’s delusions of grandeur turn real. Filmed quickly during a break from shooting Jalsaghar (The Music Room), this rarely screened gem expertly blends Ray’s penchant for humanism with delightful fantastical flourishes. 

Director: Satyajit Ray. Cast: Tulsi Chakraborty, Kali Banerjee, Ranibala, Gangapada Basu.1958. 111 minutes. India. B&W. Bengali. 35mm.  Restored by the Satyajit Ray Preservation Project at the Academy Film Archive with funding from the FilmFoundation. Print courtesy of the Academy Film Archive. Special thanks to Chhayabani Private Limited.

All film screenings of Satyajit Ray: 1955–1968 are available here.