Pather Panchali

It is an adaptation of Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay’s 1929 Bengali novel of the same name and features Subir Banerjee, Kanu Banerjee, Karuna Banerjee, Uma Dasgupta, Pinaki Sengupta and Chunibala Devi in major roles.

The first film in The Apu Trilogy, Pather Panchali depicts the childhood travails of the protagonist Apu and his elder sister Durga amidst the harsh village life of their poor family.

The film was shot mainly on location, had a limited budget, featured mostly amateur actors, and was made by an inexperienced crew. Lack of funds led to frequent interruptions in production which took nearly three years.

The sitar player Ravi Shankar composed the film’s soundtrack and score using classical Indian ragas. Subrata Mitra was in charge of the cinematography while editing was handled by Dulal Dutta.

Following its premiere on 3 May 1955 during an exhibition at New York’s Museum of Modern Art, Pather Panchali was released in Calcutta the same year to an enthusiastic reception.

A special screening was attended by the Chief Minister of West Bengal and the Prime Minister of India.

Critics have praised its realism, humanity, and soul-stirring qualities, while others have called its slow pace a drawback, and some have condemned it for romanticising poverty.

Scholars have commented on the film’s lyrical quality and realism (influenced by Italian neorealism), its portrayal of the poverty and small delights of daily life, and the use of what the author Darius Cooper has termed the “epiphany of wonder”, among other themes.

The tale of Apu’s life is continued in the two subsequent installments of Ray’s trilogy: Aparajito (The Unvanquished, 1956) and Apur Sansar (The World of Apu, 1959).

Pather Panchali is described as a turning point in Indian cinema, as it was among the films that pioneered the Parallel cinema movement, which espoused authenticity and social realism.

The first film from independent India to attract major international critical attention, it won India’s National Film Award for Best Feature Film in 1955, the Best Human Document award at the 1956 Cannes Film Festival, and several other awards, establishing Ray as one of the country’s most distinguished filmmakers.

It is often featured in lists of the greatest films ever made.

His wife Sarbajaya cares for their children, Durga and Apu, and Harihar’s elderly cousin, Indir Thakrun.

Because of their limited resources, Sarbajaya resents having to share her home with the old Indir, who often steals food from their already bare kitchen. Durga is fond of Indir and often gives her fruit stolen from a wealthy neighbour’s orchard.

One day, the neighbour’s wife accuses Durga of stealing a bead necklace (which Durga denies) and blames Sarbajaya for encouraging her tendency to steal.

As the elder sibling, Durga cares for Apu with motherly affection but spares no opportunity to tease him.

Together, they share life’s simple joys: sitting quietly under a tree, viewing pictures in a travelling vendor’s bioscope, running after the candy man who passes through, and watching a jatra (folk theatre) performed by an acting troupe.

Every evening, they are delighted by the sound of a distant train’s whistle. Sarbajaya’s grows increasingly resentful of Indir and becomes more openly hostile, which causes Indir to take temporary refuge in the home of another relative.

One day, while Durga and Apu run to catch a glimpse of the train, Indir—who is feeling unwell—goes back home, and the children find she has passed away upon their return.

With prospects drying up in the village, Harihar travels to the city to seek a better job. He promises that he will return with money to repair their dilapidated house, but is gone longer than expected.

During his absence, the family sinks deeper into poverty, and Sarbajaya grows increasingly desperate and anxious. One day during the monsoon season, Durga plays in the downpour, catches a cold and develops a high fever.

Her condition worsens as a thunderstorm batters the crumbling house with rain and wind, and she dies the next morning. Harihar returns home and starts to show Sarbajaya the merchandise he has brought from the city.

A silent Sarbajaya breaks down at her husband’s feet, and Harihar cries out in grief as he discovers that Durga has died. The family decide to leave their ancestral home for Benaras.

As they pack, Apu finds the necklace Durga had earlier denied stealing; he throws it into a pond. Apu and his parents leave the village on an ox-cart, while a snake is seen slithering into their, now barren, house.