60 years of glory: Satyajit Ray’s Pather Panchali turns 60!

Satyajit Ray’s Pather Panchali turns 60!

Devika Sharma

Student, IIMC, New Delhi

Satyajit Ray in Action (Pic Courtesy: Google Images)

60 years ago, a film based on Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay's 1929 iconic Bengali novel ‘the Apu Trilogy’, about a family settled in rural Bengal, released in India. The director was a new entry, the cast was unheard of, but the film went on to create a legacy in India and abroad. Satyajit Ray’s ‘Pather Panchali’, considered one of the greatest films of all time released in Bengal on 26th August, 1955- 60 years back.

2015 marks, six decades of Ray’s vividness behind the camera, Subrata Mitra’s cinematography and brilliant performances, that lets an average viewer, feel the simple joys and sorrows of everyday life. Pather Panchali (Song of the little road), presents to us the complexities of life in all their rhythmic harmonies. The film, directed by Satyajit Ray, is a poignant story of poverty at various levels and yet, a story that challenges the notion, that poor are devoid of happiness. 

The film is infused with moments of abject poverty meeting moments of small joys. The whistling train, running behind the ‘mithai wala’ to steal sweets, dancing in the rain, picnics in the forest, eating with friends and many such joys make for the nuances in the film that demolishes the elitist notion, that, there is no joy in poverty.  

Chunibala Devi is pragmatic as the aging woman Indir and Subir Banerji is captivating as Apu. (Courtesy: Google Images)

Karuna Banerji as Sarbajaya is impeccable as the mother who is highly distressed by poverty and frustrated for not having her wishes fulfilled by her spouse. Uma Das Gupta is beautiful as, Durga, whose name itself is symbolic of the Indian goddess, symbolizing strength. Chunibala Devi is pragmatic as the aging woman Indir and Subir Banerji is captivating as Apu.

The story, set in Bengal, takes the viewer into the life of a typical poor family. Sarbajaya is the perpetual worker in the kitchen and has no other life except that. She naturally makes Durga follow her footstep. She is also an inconsequential thief who regularly steals from the neighbor’s orchard to feed her aunt which reflected the constant theme of respect and social standing which seemed to have permeated among Indians since colonialism.

The mother, Sarbojaya adores her daughter, but strongly disapproves of her defiant ways. Durga is outgoing, while Sarbojaya is more interested in preparing her for a life of domesticity. Ray does a phenomenal job of making these two rebellious characters into more than just clichés and their relationship remains stimulating despite their stubbornness. Ray’s use of non-professional actors, use of natural locations, no make-up and complete renunciation from the exaggerated emotions and practices of popular cinema is what makes the film realistic. 

Ravi Shankar's music perfectly gels with Ray's images, converting plain shots of dirty ponds and playing kittens into instances of high art. His music gives the film a melancholic tone.

Ray has woven a rich cinematic experience for the viewers to experience the protagonist’s joys and sorrows. The two characters that truly stand out in the film are that of Durga and her aged aunt, Indir. Ironic to Indir’s wrinkled features, her presence lights up the scenes with vitality Durga on the other hand is a spirited girl who absolutely enchants the viewers not with her liveliness but her imperfections.

There are some high points capably conceptualised by Ray that take the story forward. One such being the train sequence, wherein, on one hand were Durga and Apu, who experience an almost magical phenomenon of watching a train hurtle down the railway track which symbolized the increasing modern age which showed that there is life outside the village. Parallel to this ecstatic moment is the sad scene of Indir’s demise.

The film’s visuals, like that of the stormy night depicted the commotion that was going to hit the family. The visual of the dead frog outside the house was symbolic of what was going to happen inside the house. Monsoon is symbolic of change because it brings relief in the heat. However rainstorms can bring about destruction as well. Hence, monsoons in the film symbolize promise with a speck of threat. Ray builds up this narrative beautifully accompanied by a montage of images of lotus flowers, dark clouds and tiny aquatic insects.       

The film is a social commentary on rural life that existed in India in the Nehruvian era of the 1950s. It is a slice-of-life story about impoverished conditions that prevailed in villages. It talks about the endless modern possibilities that existed beyond village life.

Ray’s stories hold a universal appeal even to this date, cutting across geography and language, and warming hearts of all generations since then.

Ray and his films, both, are relevant because human emotions, values and feelings are universal and rise above generations. Ray’s work will continue to converse to those whose human instinct allow them to glance deeper into society and human cognitive. The images created by him in Pather Panchali might turn yellow like books do, but the emotions that the film conveys will continue to remain fresh in the mind and hearts of the people. Ray weaved magic with his film making just like Tagore did before him.