MK Raghavendra, a film critic and scholar, recognised for his outstanding writing by the means of a National Award, has penned a compendium of 50 most-iconic directors in the modern era, ranging from Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen and Steven Spielberg to home-grown luminaries such as Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Ritwik Ghatak and, of course, Satyajit Ray.

(From left) George Lucas, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg and Francis Ford Coppola at the 79th Academy Awards. PIC/ AFP