A review of the classic Indian film “Pather Panchali”
The story of the little Bengali boy Apu started as the first of three bestselling novels by Bhibuti Bashan Bannerjee and became the first of three films by acclaimed Indian director Satyajit Ray: “Pather Panchali” (“Little Song Of The Road”) in 1955, “Aparajito” (“The Unvanquished”) in 1956, and “Apur Sansar” (“The World Of Apu”) in 1959. Astonishingly, the first film in the Apu trilogy was Ray’s debut and it took him a couple of years to make because of lack of funds.It is a black and white work of some two hours shot in the Bengali language with evocative music from Ravi Shanker and I was fortunate enough to see a restored version at the British Film Institute. The story is one of grinding poverty and repeated misfortune, but it is told in a loving and humanist way. Much of the photography – especially the use of water, wind and reflections – is magical and the only sign of modernity is a famous scene where Apu and his older sister Durga have a glimpse of a passing train.