The Apu trilogy is a series of three films directed by Satyajit Ray. These films are Pather Panchali (Song Of The Little Road), Aparajito (The Unvanquished) and Apur Sansar (The World of Apu). The films — completed between 1955 and 1960 — were based on the works of the Bengali author Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay; they also bear the influence of Jean Renoir and Italian neorealism. The original music for the tilogy was composed by Ravi Shankar. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Satyajit Ray (Bengali:  ) (May 2, 1921–April 23, 1992) was a Bengali Indian filmmaker and polymath. ... Pather Panchali (Bengali: পথের পাঁচালী Pôther Pãchali) is the 1955 directorial debut of Satyajit Ray. ... Aparajito (Bengali: অপরাজিত, Ôporajito, meaning The Unvanquished) is an award-winning 1956 Bengali film directed by Satyajit Ray. ... Third and last of the famous Apu Trilogy, a series of films about a boy named Apu in early twentieth century Bengal by Satyajit Ray. ... Bibhutibhushan Bandhopadhyay Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay (Bengali: Bibhutibhushon Bôndopaddhae; last name also rendered as Banerjee or Banerji) was a Bengali novelist and writer. ... Jean Renoir Jean Renoir (September 15, 1894 – February 12, 1979), born in the Montmartre Quarter of Paris, France was a film director. ... Italian neorealism is a film movement characterized by stories set amongst the poor and working class, filmed in long takes on location, frequently using nonprofessional actors for secondary and sometimes primary roles. ... For other persons named Ravi Shankar, see Ravi Shankar (disambiguation). ...

Plot

The films are a "coming of age" narrative, describing the childhood, education and early maturity of a young Bengali in the early part of the 20th century. The first film is about Apu's early experiences in rural Bengal, as the son of a poor but high caste family. His father, a Brahmin, has difficulty supporting his family. After the death of Apu's sister, the family move to the holy city of Benares, but their finances are still precarious. After his father dies, the growing Apu comes into conflict with his mother. Despite incessant poverty, Apu manages to get formal schooling and turns out to be a brilliant student. Later, when Apu's mother dies too, he has to learn to live alone. Attempting to become a writer, he accidentally finds himself pressured to marry a girl who has rejected her mentally ill bridegroom. Their blossoming marriage ends in her death in childbirth, after which the despairing Apu abandons his child, but eventually returns to accept his responsibilities. Benares (also known as Banaras, Kashi, Kasi and Varanasi (वाराणसी)) is a Hindu holy city on the banks of the river Ganga or Ganges in the modern north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. ...

Acclaim

This trilogy is considered by critics around the globe to rank among the greatest achievements of Indian film, and is established as one of the most historically important cinematic debuts. Pather Panchali won 12 international prizes, followed by a Golden Lion in Venice for Aparajito and numerous other awards for Apur Sansar. When Ray made Pather Panchali he worked with a cast and crew most of whom had never been previously involved in the film medium. Ray himself at the time of directing Pather Panchali had primarily worked in the advertising industry, although he had served as assistant director on Jean Renoir's 1951 film "The River". From this foundation, Ray went on to create other highly acclaimed films, like Charulata, Mahanagar, and Aranyer Dinratri, and his international success energized other Bengal filmmakers like Mrinal Sen and Ritwik Ghatak. Pather Panchali (Bengali: পথের পাঁচালী Pôther Pãchali) is the 1955 directorial debut of Satyajit Ray. ... Aparajito (Bengali: অপরাজিত, Ôporajito, meaning The Unvanquished) is an award-winning 1956 Bengali film directed by Satyajit Ray. ... Third and last of the famous Apu Trilogy, a series of films about a boy named Apu in early twentieth century Bengal by Satyajit Ray. ... Pather Panchali (Bengali: পথের পাঁচালী Pôther Pãchali) is the 1955 directorial debut of Satyajit Ray. ... Pather Panchali (Bengali: পথের পাঁচালী Pôther Pãchali) is the 1955 directorial debut of Satyajit Ray. ... Jean Renoir Jean Renoir (September 15, 1894 – February 12, 1979), born in the Montmartre Quarter of Paris, France was a film director. ... The River is a 1951 film directed by Jean Renoir. ... Charulata (The Lonely Wife) is a 1964 film by Bengali director Satyajit Ray, featuring Soumitra Chatterjee, Madhabi Mukherjee and Sailen Mukherjee. ... Mahanagar (The Big City, 1963) is a 1963 film directed by Satyajit Ray. ... Aranyer Din Ratri(Days and Nights in the Forest) is about four city-bred friends who go for a vacation in the jungles. ... Mrinal Sen (Bangla: মৄণাল সেন) is a Bengali Indian filmmaker. ... Ritwik Ghatak (Bengali: , Rittik Ghotok) (November 4, 1925 – February 6, 1976) was a Bengali Indian writer and filmmaker. ...

Trivia

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The Simpsons character Apu is named after the movie trilogy, which were among the favorite films of Simpsons creator Matt Groening. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... The Simpsons. ... Apu redirects here. ... The Simpsons. ... Matthew Abram Groening is an American cartoonist (Life in Hell) and the Emmy Award-winning creator of the animated series, The Simpsons and Futurama. ...

Cultural Impact

This extract from the South African author J.M. Coetzee, talks of the music in the Apu Trilogy, which is based on Indian Classical Music. From Coetzee's Youth: J.M. Coetzee John Maxwell Coetzee (pronounced coot-SEE-uh) is a South African author. ... The origins of Indian classical music can be found from the oldest of scriptures, part of the Hindu tradition, the Vedas. ...

At the Everyman Cinema there is a season of Satyajit Ray. He watches the Apu trilogy on successive nights in a state of rapt absorption. In Apu's bitter, trapped mother, his engaging, feckless father he recognizes, with a pang of guilt, his own parents. But it is the music above all that grips him, dizzyingly complex interplays between drums and stringed instruments, long arias on the flute whose scale or mode - he does not know enough about music theory to be sure which - catches at his heart, sending him into a mood of sensual melancholy that last long after the film has ended.

Satyajit Ray (Bengali:  ) (May 2, 1921–April 23, 1992) was a Bengali Indian filmmaker and polymath. ...

External links

• The Apu trilogy (SatyajitRay.org)
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