Did you know that filmmaker Satyajit Ray’s Film Shatranj Ke Khiladi is based on Munshi Premchand’s short story?
Shatranj Ke Khiladi ( The Chess Players) is a 1977 Indian film in which Actor Amjad Khan plays the role of Wajid Ali Shah, King of Awadh, and Richard Attenborough plays the role of General James Outram. The film also features the actors Sanjeev Kumar,
Shatranj Ke Khilari
Saeed Jaffrey, Shabana Azmi, David Abraham and Tom Alter. Unlike most of Ray’s films, the dialogue in the film is in Urdu and Hindi. The fastidious research and sophisticated portrayal of clashing cultures earned acclaim from both film critics and historians of the period.
The film is set in 1856 and shows the life and customs of 19th century India on the eve of the Indian rebellion of 1857. The focus is on events surrounding the British annexation of the Indian State of Awadh (also spelt Oudh), the politics of colonial expansion by the British East India Company and the deluded divisions of Indian monarchs.
urduwallahs 
I for some reason refrain from Ray’s coloured work.
True, his best works have been in black and white. But one cannot ignore his work in colour to see his various shades as an artist.
What a great movie this was. Ray had such attention to detail In a scene of kathak performance, the tabalchi is playing while standing in a corner away from the main stage. At first glance, I didn’t register anything important there. However when I learnt some history of classical music, I came to know that, that is exactly how a tabla player used to perform, without recognition or taking the centre-stage till well into early 20th century. There are many such beautiful aspects in this remarkable film/ historical study.