Nayak (1966 film)

Nayak (subtitled as The Hero; Bengali pronunciation:) is a 1966 Indian Bengali-language epicpsychological drama written, scored and directed by Satyajit Ray. Produced by R. D. Bansal under the banner of R. D. B. & Co., the film stars Uttam Kumar as a matinee idol on a 24-hour train ride from Kolkata to Delhi to receive a National Award, where he ends up revealing his mistakes, insecurities, and regrets during a multi-part interview to a young journalist, played by Sharmila Tagore.

Written and filmed in 1965, Nayak is Ray's second entirely original screenplay, after Kanchenjungha (1962). Subrata Mitra handled its cinematography, while Dulal Dutta edited the film. It marks the first collaboration between Ray and Kumar, and also pairs the latter with Tagore for the second time.