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Poster for Pather Panchali

Pather Panchali

Seen it?

1955 | 125 min | Drama, History

Saturday Special

Why it’s a Saturday Special

It collected a shelf of major awards and it's still drawing plenty of interest, despite soft box office. A strong pick for the weekend.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for history buffs. If you loved Belfast or Loving Vincent, start here.
The mood
Thoughtful and character-driven.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 5 min.
What might put you off
  • It's in another language, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
  • Made in 1955: an older pace and style.

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.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsNot counted

    Not enough reviews on record yet

  • AudiencesSolid

    7.8 out of 10

  • AwardsVery strong

    Nominated for 3 BAFTAs.

  • Box office & staying powerBelow par

    $536K worldwide on a $32K budget; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactStrong

    About 226K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Satyajit Ray

  • Kanu BannerjeeHarihar Roy
  • Karuna BanerjeeSarbajaya Roy
  • Subir BanerjeeApurba 'Apu' Roy
  • Runki BanerjeeLittle Durga Roy
  • Uma DasguptaDurga Roy
  • Chunibala DeviIndir Thakrun
  • Tulsi ChakrabortyPrasanna
  • Haren BanerjeeChinibas
  • Binoy MukherjeeBaidyanath Majumdar
  • Reba DeviSeja Thakrun