Sukumar Roy is a child's best friend. His books are a joyful presence on the bookshelves of every self-respecting Bengali. Limitlessly funny, his works teem with satirical digs and socio-political references that no adult can miss. The sagacity and wickedness of his Nonsense have kept him permanently lodged in Bengal's literary firmament.

But Sukumar Roy was nothing if he was only a funny satirist. Words like versatility get newer edges when they label geniuses of his ilk. Recently, Nikhiler Anondodhara, at the Satyajit Ray Auditorum, remembered the poet, author and playwright on his 130th birth anniversary, making an attempt to reveal the many hats he triumphantly wore.

Every inch a Renaissance man like his father, Roy was an expert in illustration, printing and photography, a scholar of Brahmo philosophy, an initiator of many socio-political debates, a song writer and composer who was influenced by Tagore. In Rina Dolan Bandopadhyay's script, the many facets of Roy's vibrant personality and the profundity of his erudition were explored while also offering glimpses of his writing and music. If the narration was often marred by Aniruddha Rakshit's lugubrious rendering of some uproariously funny anecdotes, Barun Chanda kept his reading suitably breezy and charming. Songs written and composed by Ray, such as the meditative " Jago purobashi, bhagabot prem piyasi", "Premer mondire tar aroti baje", meant for wedding functions, and his reverential last composition in the Raga Bairagi, " Nomi satya sanatan", were performed by Rina Dolan Bandopadhyay and Pradip Dutta.

But what stole the show was Anutosh Mukhopadhyay's rendition of Roy's hilarious compositions. The exuberant energy he brought to Gaan jurechhen grishmokale Bhishmolochan Sharma and Keu bolechhe khabo khabo, among others, made the event a wonderful commemoration of an artist who remains a by-word for fun in the Bengali mind.