The Apu Trilogy by Satyajit Ray is one of the most tender yet profound explorations of humanity and her emotions. It is a monumental canvas painted with love, bereavement, grief and hope. Each hue is portrayed with such beauty that very few things in this infinite world can rival it. The fine line between poetry and filmmaking just dissolves in Ray’s cinema, such is the intoxication by its beauteousness. Ray, being the maestro, weaves the emotions ever so beautifully with his brilliant filmmaking into one big tapestry that explores a perpetual cycle called life. The films dealt a devastating blow to my heart, leaving an irreplaceable emptiness that I would forever cherish and reminisce about.

The three films, Pather Panchali (1955), Aparajito (1956) and Apur Sansar (1959), compose the Apu trilogy. They are based on the novel ‘Pather Panchali’, written by Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay, a great Bengali novelist. The films have gained worldwide fame and garnered a multitude of awards at various film festivals.

Ravi Shankar and Satyajit Ray opened the doors of Indian classical music to me. The music of the Apu trilogy feels so personal and emotionally connecting. I never thought Indian music could portray the human emotions so beautifully. Ravi Shankar is one of the greatest, if not, the greatest, Indian classical musicians and his compositions are so heartwarming to hear. 

The films are available on YouTube. 

I have written my thoughts on each of these films below, and maybe it might just kindle the burning desire in you to watch these films. 

I. Song of the Little Road 

Pather Panchali (Song of the Little Road) is Satyajit Ray’s first film and is celebrated as one of the greatest films ever made. The film tells the tale of a modest family living in rural Bengal, struggling to make their ends meet. It revolves around the adversities and livelihood of Apu and Durga, exploring their innocence by their playful interactions with humanity, of which Ray portrays them with insatiable emotions and inexplicable beauty. 

Apu aur Durga are the central characters of the film. Their relationship as siblings as they grow together is the golden thread in the fabric of the film. They wander around the fields of Bengal in pursuit of the mythical Ironhorse (train), follow the mishti seller to their friend’s house in hopes for free sweets, encounter prosecution for stolen jewellery, bathe themselves in the pouring monsoon of Bengal, and experience the extravagant marriage of their friend. But everything is struck by an unbearable sorrow that befalls the family. A tragedy so intolerable, it left me in tears and agonising pain. It teaches a powerful and essential emotion. The essence of impermanence. Whilst most resist over the oddity of undeserving elements that fall on their shoulders, Pather Panchali tells us to accept it. Move on and live. Live and make the most of it. Live to cherish the memories. Live so that your existence embodies them. Live. 

II. The Unvanquished 

Aparajito (The Unvanquished) is the second film in the trilogy. It follows Apu to his higher studies after the death of his father while living in Benares. The film explores the relationship of Apu and his mother while Apu pursues his higher studies in Calcutta. The distance between her and her son makes the mother wistful and engulfed by grief. She is welcomed with joy by her son’s occasional visits from college, but it soon dissolves into sadness when the time calls for his departure. One peaceful day, the grief vanishes into eternal silence. 

Out of the three films, I relate to Aparajito the most. It depicts the theme of boyhood and motherhood with a profound passion. Ray traverses the nuances of human relationships with extreme subtlety, yet they are so majestically portrayed. The film left a detrimental effect on me that would last for eternity. During my time in Durgapur (South Bengal), for an internship, I asked one of my superiors his favourite Satyajit Ray film. He replied, “I cried a lot during Aparajito; it tore me to pieces.” I immediately concurred, as I’m trying to comprehend what he must have felt while watching it in Bengali during his boyhood.  

III. The World of Apu 

Apur Sansar (World of Apu) is the final film in the Apu Trilogy. Apu is now entering adulthood and will soon encounter love in a most unexpected way. He is unwillingly married to a woman that he saw no less than a few hours before. Eventually the regret caramelises into the sweet nectar of life called love. They love each other so dearly up until an inconceivable moment passes by them. An insufferable moment that leaves everyone in bewilderment. One final tragedy that stood between Apu and his salvation. Apu is devastated. He retreats into himself, searching for peace and tranquillity among the traumatic memories in his soul. He believes that there is nothing left for him in this world. But he is mistaken. There is still someone that requires his love and care: his son. 

The reunification of Apu and his son completes the tale of the trilogy. This Symphony of a film, though comprising a multitude of minor notes, ends merrily on a high note. Ray gives Apu the happiest conclusion possible. Apu transcends from uncertainty to resolute, boy to man, son to father. 

I am left wordless to describe the beauty of this film and the moral it teaches. All I can do is beseech you to watch the trilogy. 

Thus ends the tale of Apu.