T he A pu T rilogy
The SociAl impAcT
The Apu Trilogy Satyajit Ray
The first film, Pather Panchali (1955) in the trilogy, introduces us to Apu, a young boy living in a low-income family in rural Bengal. Apu lives with his parents, older sister, Durga, and elderly aunt.
The film depicts the family’s struggles with poverty, illness, and social discrimination. Apu’s father, a struggling writer, leaves the family to find work, mean-while his mother struggles to provide for the family.
Apu’s sister dies unexpectedly, leaving him devastated.
The second film, Aparajito (1956), picks up where the first left off. Apu’s family moves to the holy city of ‘Benaras’, so his father can work as a ‘pujari’ and his mother can work as a maid.
Apu attends school and excels academically, but his father falls ill and dies. Apu must leave school to work and support himself.
They are forced to return to their home village when his father dies unexpectedly. His mother continues to work as a maid.
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The Apu Trilogy
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The Apu Trilogy
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The Apu Trilogy Satyajit Ray
He eventua lly received a scholarship to study in Calcutta. However, he struggles to balance his studies with his responsibilities towards his ageing mother. Eventually, his mother also falls ill and dies, leaving him devasted.
He moves back to Calcutta to move on with his life.
The final film, Apur Sansar (1959), follows Apu as a young man living in Calcutta. He has completed his studies and published a novel but struggles to find work and make ends meet. He falls in love with a woman named Aparna after he gets cornered into a situation to get married. However, she dies shortly after giving birth to their son. Apu is devastated and becomes estranged from his son. He eventually reconnects with his son and reconciles with the past.
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The Significance of the Train
The train is a powerful symbol in the Apu Trilogy, representing themes of change, separation and reunion, and personal growth. It adds a layer of meaning to the films and enhances the emotional impact of Apu’s journey.
The train represents change and progress. It is a symbol of modernity and the new world that is emerging in post-independence India. In the films, we see the train passing through the countryside and carrying people and goods from one place to another. The train represents technology’s transformative power and its impact on traditional ways of life.
The train is often associated with separation and reunion in films. In Pather Panchali, Apu’s father leaves the family on a train to find work, which marks the beginning of the family’s separation. In Aparajito, Apu leaves his mother and hometown to study in Calcutta on a train, representing his separation from his past. In Apur Sansar, Apu and his son are reunited on a train journey, symbolising their reconciliation and the possibility of a new beginning.
The train is also used as a narrative device in the films. The train becomes a vehicle for Apu’s journey of self-discovery and personal growth.
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pATher pAnchAli
Realistic Depiction
of
Rural Life:
“Pather Panchali” was a departure from the escapist fantasies of Bollywood, and it portrayed the harsh realities of life in rural India. The film depicted poverty, disease, and death with a rare sensitivity in Indian cinema then. This portrayal of rural life helped shed light on the struggles of the poor and marginalised Indian society.
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Launch of Parallel Cinema: “Pather Panchali” marked the beginning of India’s parallel cinema movement, which aimed to produce films different from mainstream Bollywood fare. The film’s success inspired many other filmmakers to create meaningful and artistic films that reflected the realities of Indian society.
Influence on Indian Literature: “Pather Panchali” was based on a novel by Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay. The film’s success helped to popularise the author’s work. The film’s realism and sensitivity also inspired many other writers, who began to write stories and novels depicting the realities of Indian society.
The Apu Trilogy
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Aparajito
Reflection of Social Realities: “Aparajito” reflected the social realities of Post-Independence India, where many families migrated from rural areas to cities for education and opportunities. The film depicted the struggles and sacrifices of Apu’s family as they adapted to life in the city, providing a window into the experiences of many Indian families during that time.
Exploration of Personal Identity: The film explores personal identity and the tension between individual aspirations and familial obligations. Apu’s desire for education and independence clashes with his duty to his mother, leading to a poignant exploration of the complexities of family relationships.
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The Apu Trilogy
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The Apu Trilogy
Apur Sansar
Exploration of Personal Identity: Like the other films in the Apu Trilogy, “Apur Sansar” explores personal identity and the tension between individual aspirations and familial obligations. The film depicts Apu’s struggles to find his place as a writer while also grappling with the challenges of being a husband and father.
Celebration of Artistic Expression: The film celebrates artistic expression and the power of storytelling, with Apu’s journey as a writer serving as a central theme. The film’s focus on the creative process and the importance of artistic pursuits have inspired generations of Indian artists and writers.
The portrayal of Women: “Apur Sansar” also explores the role of women in Indian society, with Apu’s wife, Aparna, serving as a complex and multi-dimensional character. The film challenges traditional gender roles and highlights the struggles faced by women in a patriarchal society
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Concluding
Inspiration to New Filmmakers: The Apu Trilogy has inspired several generations of Indian filmmakers, who have sought to emulate Ray’s cinematic style and storytelling. The films’ influence can be seen in the emergence of the parallel cinema movement, which aimed to produce meaningful and artistic films that reflected the realities of Indian society.
Cultural Legacy: The Apu Trilogy is now widely regarded as a cultural landmark in India. They continue to be celebrated for their artistic and social significance. The National Film Archive of India has preserved the films. They are regularly screened at film festivals and cultural events, inspiring new generations of viewers and filmmakers alike.
Contribution to Indian Cinema: The Apu Trilogy is widely acclaimed in India and abroad, winning several international awards, including the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. The film helped to establish Satyajit Ray as a leading figure in Indian cinema, paving the way for other Indian filmmakers to explore complex themes and experiment with narrative styles.
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Akira Kurosawa (Japanese filmmaker and painter who directed 30 films in a career spanning over five decades) put it another way: “It is the kind of cinema that flows with the serenity and nobility of a big river.”
Richard Brody said, “Satyajit Ray’s story of life is deeply imbued with death; his vision of the soul is inextricable from the survival of the body.”
The Criterion Collection is a continuing series of influential classic and contemporary films on home video; written an article about the Apu trilogy
Christopher Nolan (movie director) says Pather Panchali (Apu Trilogy)
is “One of The Best Films Ever Made”
The Apu Trilogy is a deeply emotional and poignant story that follows Apu’s journey from childhood to adulthood. It explores personal growth, family responsibilities, and social realities in post-independence India. The films are widely regarded for artistic innovation and technical excellence and have significantly impacted Indian cinema and culture.
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Dissecting the movie: The three movies are set in a particular mood, depicting the protagonist’s pain, sorrow and struggle.
Contrast: The use of black and white photography allows for more excellent contrast between light and dark tones, which can create a sense of drama and tension. This is especially evident in scenes at night or in low light, where the stark contrast between light and dark adds to the film’s visual impact.
Emotion: Black and white photography can also create a sense of emotion or mood in a film. In the Apu Trilogy, the use of black and white photography adds to the films’ sense of melancholy and nostalgia, which are central themes of the films.
Timelessness: Using black and white photography also adds a sense of timelessness to the films. By stripping away the distracting colours of modern life, the films can capture a simpler, more timeless world that feels removed from the present day.
Landscape: The films are set in rural Bengal, and the landscape plays a central role in the visual impact of the films. The camera work captures the beauty and majesty of the natural world, from the lush greenery to the winding rivers.
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Lighting: The use of light in the films is also a significant aspect of the visual impact. The films often use natural light, and the lighting is used to highlight key moments and to create a sense of mood and atmosphere.
Symbolism: The films are also known for their use of symbolism, which is often conveyed through the visual elements of the films. For example, the recurring image of the train in the films can be seen as a symbol of change and progress.
Fashion: in the first movie, it is observed that the mother is wearing the same saree until her husband arrives. The saree gets torn scene by scene, little by little, depicting the poverty of the family.
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