The description of this movie seemed so bleak that I had a difficult time before finally deciding to watch it. I have been watching a lot of Satyajit Ray films lately, and wondering at how he managed to create such different atmospheres in each of them, and leaving a touch of his own self in each. The story is a fairly depressing one, and yet there are moments of delightful optimism within the lead characters. The two boys playing Apu at different ages are both very convincing in their roles, but Karuna Banerjee's performance seals the deal for me. The way she has used her dialogues and her silence to bring out the emotions felt by her character and the interactions she has with her on-screen son, have been truly remarkable. The run-time is about an hour and 45 minutes but this movie will stay with you.
There have been many poignant moments in this movie, but one which is most hard-hitting is where a critical point in the film is signified with a shot of a flock of pigeons flying away against the beautiful backdrop of the river Ganges - powerful! The story by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay is so entrenched in intense emotions but this movie does full justice to the material.
The title is wholly significant and portrayed wonderfully in the movie conclusion. Aparajito - a beautiful concoction of pain, struggle, and incredible determination.
There have been many poignant moments in this movie, but one which is most hard-hitting is where a critical point in the film is signified with a shot of a flock of pigeons flying away against the beautiful backdrop of the river Ganges - powerful! The story by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay is so entrenched in intense emotions but this movie does full justice to the material.
The title is wholly significant and portrayed wonderfully in the movie conclusion. Aparajito - a beautiful concoction of pain, struggle, and incredible determination.