Pather Panchali

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Pather Panchali

1955

2h 6m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

98%

Tomatometer

82 Reviews

93%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Impoverished priest Harihar Ray, dreaming of a better life for himself and his family, leaves his rural Bengal village in search of work. Alone, his wife, Sarbojaya, looks after her rebellious daughter, Durga, and her young son, Apu, as well as Harihar's elderly aunt Indir. The children enjoy the small pleasures of their difficult life, while their parents suffer the daily indignities heaped upon them.

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Critics Consensus

A film that requires and rewards patience in equal measure, Pather Panchali finds director Satyajit Ray delivering a classic with his debut.

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Frank Morriss

Globe and Mail

08/08/2022

Everything about Pather Panchali... points to the beautiful life of the human spirit.

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Jonas Mekas

Village Voice

04/20/2022

It is most simple, most down to earth, and from the very heart. Specifically it is about India, but actually it is about everybody. The poetry of the film transcends its locality and speaks to us all.

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Shubhra Gupta

The Indian Express

08/16/2021

Satyajit Ray put India on the world map with this felt portrait of life in a Bengal village...

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James Kendrick

Q Network Film Desk

03/27/2024

4/4

simple, but not a simplistic, and it is hardly a romanticized paean to childhood, although there are moments of great beauty that remind us how wonderful the world can be when it is stripped of the weight of social responsibility

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Moira Walsh

The Catholic World

08/24/2023

The film proves to be, rather like The Old Man and the Sea, an artfully devised tribute to the human spirit. The black-and-white camera work is both a joy in itself and a sensitive instrument in carrying out the director’s purposes.

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Shadow Stage

Photoplay

09/13/2022

3/4

It's a truly amazing accomplishment which Hollywood and its mass- production thinking could well ponder on.

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Abubakkar S

@RT67114587 Nov 19

It feels like a mirror is showing us our lives.

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Jun 7

Success in 2 hours and 6 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In Bangla and English versions with English subtitles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Rohit D

@RT02283541 Apr 9

I don't think I have cried as much as I have while watching this movie. A masterpiece, and absolute cinema.

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Velarudh Infotech P

@RT40127340 08/07/2024

"Pather Panchali," the book by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay, changed my life and my perspective on Bengali village life. Being born and brought up in a Bengali village, I can relate to everything. I had not seen this movie until I was in college (Med school). After that, I have watched this movie many times. Each and every scene is epic. The music by Ravi Shankar adds a profound depth to the film, making it even more immersive. Satyajit Ray's direction is truly masterful; he is indeed an incredible filmmaker.

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John W

@Magnumman 04/01/2024

The rare perfect movie, even if is obviously made on a shoestring. Some of the most beautiful and touching sequences in any film, with every character unforgettable.

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Dani G

@RT81139271 08/17/2023

A realistic and moving portrait of rural life in India.

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Satyajit Ray

Director

Kanu Bannerjee

Harihar Ray

Karuna Bannerjee

Sarbojaya Ray

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Apurba 'Apu' Roy

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Synopsis

Impoverished priest Harihar Ray, dreaming of a better life for himself and his family, leaves his rural Bengal village in search of work. Alone, his wife, Sarbojaya, looks after her rebellious daughter, Durga, and her young son, Apu, as well as Harihar's elderly aunt Indir. The children enjoy the small pleasures of their difficult life, while their parents suffer the daily indignities heaped upon them.

Director: Satyajit Ray
Producer: Satyajit Ray, Bansi Chandragupta
Screenwriter: Satyajit Ray
Production Co: Government of West Bengal
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Bangla
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 20, 2015
Runtime: 2h 6m

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