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Pather Panchali

Play trailer Poster for Pather Panchali 1955 2h 6m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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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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Pather Panchali

Pather Panchali

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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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Critics Reviews

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Frank Morriss Globe and Mail Everything about Pather Panchali... points to the beautiful life of the human spirit. Aug 8, 2022 Full Review Jonas Mekas Village Voice 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. Apr 20, 2022 Full Review Shubhra Gupta The Indian Express Satyajit Ray put India on the world map with this felt portrait of life in a Bengal village... Aug 16, 2021 Full Review James Kendrick Q Network Film Desk 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 Rated: 4/4 Mar 27, 2024 Full Review Moira Walsh The Catholic World 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. Aug 24, 2023 Full Review Shadow Stage Photoplay It's a truly amazing accomplishment which Hollywood and its mass- production thinking could well ponder on. Rated: 3/4 Sep 13, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Rohit D I don't think I have cried as much as I have while watching this movie. A masterpiece, and absolute cinema. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/09/25 Full Review Velarudh Infotech P "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. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/07/24 Full Review John W 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. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/01/24 Full Review Dani G A realistic and moving portrait of rural life in India. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 08/17/23 Full Review Audience Member Satyajit Ray's directorial debut depicts harshening traditions of ancestral livelihood factored amid poverty whilst providing slice of life via mesmerizing cultural transportation with beautiful cinematography backed up by unconventionally associated music being strictly domestic, filled by raw performances to humanely characterized the results. One of those strong debuts in the storytelling approach expressed by solid merits under cultural significance, but it unknowingly disconnects between the pacing and unflinching harshness with decreasing hopeful sense. However, it deserves to be given a fair rating over its productive merits and efforts emotionally connected to their home cultural like a cinematic representation. (B+) Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/17/23 Full Review yannis a A wonderful film, very emotional, with a fantastic cinematography that takes us back almost by a century to witness life in India. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Cast & Crew

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Satyajit Ray

Director

Kanu Bannerjee

Harihar Ray

Karuna Bannerjee

Sarbojaya Ray

Subir Bannerjee

Apu

Uma Das Gupta

Durga

Chunibala Devi

Indir Thakrun

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Pather Panchali

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Movie Info

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
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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