Satyajit Ray (1921–1992), a Bengali film director from India, is well known for his contributions to Bengali literature. He created two of the most famous characters in Feluda the sleuth, and Professor Shonku the scientist. He wrote several short novels and stories in addition to those based on these two characters. His fiction was targeted mainly at younger readers (mostly teenagers), though it became popular among children and adults alike. Most of his novels and stories in Bengali have been published by Ananda Publishers, Kolkata; and most of his screenplays have been published in Bengali in the literary journal Ekshan, edited by his close friend Nirmalya Acharya. During the mid-1990s, Ray's film essays and an anthology of short stories were also published in the West. Many of the stories have been translated into English and published. Feluda stories Feluda, whose real name is Pradosh Chandra Mitter, is a fictional Kolkata-based private investigator. He is usually accompanied by 2 sidekicks: Topshe (his cousin–Tapesh Ranjan Mitra) and Lalmohan Ganguly, usually described as Lalmohan Babu (who himself writes with the pseudonym of Jatayu), a bumbling writer of crime fiction. Satyajit Ray wrote thirty-five Feluda stories, most of which were extremely popular, and made into films two of the Feluda stories–Sonar Kella (The Golden Fortress) (1974) and Joi Baba Felunath (The Elephant God) (1978). Professor Shonku stories Professor Trilokeshwar Shonku (Professor Shonku), is a fictional scientist and inventor appearing in a series of science-fiction stories and books. He lives in Giridih beside the river Usri. He has a male servant named Prahllad and a cat named Newton living in the house. He was a child prodigy, and achieved several academic distinctions. He has his own laboratory in his house where he does research for many new and fantastic inventions. He has many scientist allies, like Jeremy Saunders, Wilhelm Kroll, and John Summerville. He has a neighbor, Abinash Chandra Majumdar, who makes fun of his inventions, but are nevertheless good friends. Along with Abinashbabu, he also has a friend named Nakur Chandra Biswas, a man who is gifted with supernatural powers and skills. He is world-renowned for the armory of these diverse inventions. The adventures of Professor Shonku are set in several countries throughout the world. Professor Shonku New Script, Calcutta 1965. Professor Shonkur Kandokarkhana (Professor Shonku's Deeds). Ananda Publishers, Calcutta 1970. Shabash Professor Shonku (Bravo Professor Shonku). Ananda Publishers, Calcutta 1974. Mahasankatey Shonku (Shonku