Pather Panchali (1955)

Director: Satyajit Ray
Stars: Kanu Bannerjee, Karuna Bannerjee, Subir Bannerjee
Runtime: 125 minutes

Synopsis: Impoverished priest Harihar Ray, dreaming of a better life for himself and his family, leaves his rural Bengal village in search of work.

Verdict: Oddly enough, “Pather Panchali” not only marks my introduction to the legendary Satyajit Ray’s work but also serves as the first step in my hopefully long journey discovering Indian Cinema. I was stunned to realize that I had never seen a movie from the rich South Asian land before and hope to right that wrong in the future, especially after experiencing Ray’s directorial debut and first chapter in the Apu trilogy.

What struck me most about the classic is how sincere and human it is. The dynamic, struggles, wholesome moments, and crushed dreams experienced by the poverty struck family at the center of it felt as honest as it possibly could, a miracle considering the many issues that occurred behind the scenes which as a result delayed the production for 3 years, a nail-biting eternity when child actors are involved. Shot on location and with a very limited budget, you can tell that a lot of passion and heart was put in by the entire team, including the actors who all do a fantastic job portraying their respective characters. Their nuanced acting added a lot of depth not only to the life they were living but also to the relationship they all shared together. It’s a relationship forged in love and camaraderie, but also one slightly soured by the constant financial struggles faced by the family.

From little smiles to teary eyes, “Pather Panchali” will truly make you go through all sorts of emotions during its slightly longer than needed runtime. It’s a highly impactful watch that successfully hits all the right chords and one that genuinely made me want to take a deeper dive through Satyajit Ray’s filmography.

FINAL GRADE: 8/10