Satyajit Ray had not planned to make a sequel to Pather Panchali, but after the film’s international success, he decided to continue Apu’s narrative. Aparajito picks up where the first film leaves off, with Apu and his family having moved away from the country to live in the bustling holy city of Varanasi (then known as Benares). As Apu progresses from wide-eyed child to intellectually curious teenager, eventually studying in Kolkata, we witness his academic and moral education, as well as the growing complexity of his relationship with his mother. This tenderly expressive, often heart-wrenching film, which won three top prizes at the Venice Film Festival, including the Golden Lion, not only extends but also spiritually deepens the tale of Apu.
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Supplements
- The Small Details, a new interview with film writer Ujjal Chakraborty
- Audio recording from 1958 of a conversation between director Satyajit Ray and film historian Gideon Bachmann
- Making “The Apu Trilogy”: Satyajit Ray’s Epic Debut, a new video essay by Ray biographer Andrew Robinson
- The Creative Person: “Satyajit Ray,” a 1967 half-hour documentary by James Beveridge, featuring interviews with Satyajit Ray, several of his actors, members of his creative team, and film critic Chidananda Das Gupta
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Restoration Information
Release Notes on Restoration
The original monaural soundtracks were remastered from the following elements: for Pather Panchali, a 35 mm safety magnetic track from the Academy Film Archive; for Aparajito, a 35 mm print from the Venice Film Festival and a 35 mm fine-grain from the Academy Film Archive; and for Apur Sansar, two 35 mm prints and a 35 mm magnetic track from the BFI National Archive.