Rupali Ganguly slams demolition of Satyajit Ray’s ancestral home in Bangladesh

Rupali Ganguly shared a picture of demolished house of Satyajit Ray. (Photo: X/Rupali Ganguly)

Television actress Rupali Ganguly has expressed her strong protest over the demolition of Satyajit Ray’s ancestral home in Mymensingh, Bangladesh, calling it a grave insult to Indian heritage and the global Bengali community.

The act has triggered widespread condemnation across India and beyond.

Sharing her fury on social media, the Anupamaa actor did not mince words.

“Disgusting and unforgivable!” she wrote. “Under the so-called ‘moral leadership’ of Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh has demolished the ancestral home of Bharat Ratna Satyajit Ray. This wasn’t just a demolition—it was a message. They fear art. They erase legacy.”

Disgusting and unforgivable!
Under the so-called "moral leadership" of Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh has demolished the ancestral home of Bharat Ratna Satyajit Ray in Bangladesh.

This wasn’t just a demolition! it was a message: They fear art. They erase legacy. They glorify… pic.twitter.com/pNowQyx6zW

— Rupali Ganguly (@TheRupali) July 16, 2025

Rupali Ganguly further accused the authorities of prioritising violence over culture.

“They glorify violence, not culture. This act exposes their true colours,” she added.

The house, located on Harikishore Ray Road, originally belonged to Satyajit Ray’s grandfather, Upendra Kishor Ray Chowdhury, a pioneering figure in Bengali literature.

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Post-Partition, the property was taken over by the Bangladeshi government and functioned as the Mymensingh Shishu Academy until 1989. Though the structure eventually deteriorated, cultural historians had long advocated for its restoration as a memorial to Ray’s cinematic legacy.

Instead, it has now been razed to make way for a new semi-permanent government facility—an action seen by many as erasing history rather than preserving it.

Satyajit Ray, who is known world over for his films like Pather Panchali, Charulata, and The Apu Trilogy, is known as one of the world’s greatest filmmakers.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs has responded with concern, urging the Bangladeshi government to reconsider its decision. In a formal statement, the ministry also offered to collaborate on restoring the site as a museum honoring Ray’s contributions to world cinema.

Bangladesh has now halted the demolition of filmmaker Satyajit Ray’s ancestral home in Mymensingh after strong objections from India and mounting public criticism over the erasure of cultural heritage.

The move comes after India termed the action “regrettable” and offered to help restore the historic building.