Page 14 - Seniors Today - April Issue
P. 14
a landmark in Indian and world cinema. three decades. It also introduced a young
It was also criticised for romanticising Sharmila Tagore as Apu’s wife, Aparna.
poverty and tarnishing India’s image Emotionally blackmailed into marrying
abroad, but that was mere nitpicking. The her, when her wedding to another man
film did portray the little joys as well as is unexpectedly called off, she becomes a
soul-crushing suffering of the family of loving companion for the confused and
an impoverished priest, and at the end, unhappy Apu. He is left bereft when she
following the death of the daughter Durga dies in childbirth, and blames the son
(Uma Dasgupta), Apu and his parents for her death. Apu becomes a reclusive
pack their pitiful belongings and move wanderer, leaving the child with Aparna’s
to Benaras. This film had music by Ravi parents. Eventually, he has to accept his
Shankar and started Ray’s continuing responsibilities and returns to Kolkata with
collaboration with his cinematographer his son to restart his life.
Subrata Mitra, editor Dulal Dutta and art
director Bansi Chandragupta. Jalsaghar (1958)
This film was made
Aparajito (1956): before the last film of
In the second part of the Apu Trilogy, and is
the trilogy, Apu (played counted as one of Ray’s
by Pinaki Sen Gupta best. Based on a short
and Smaran Ghosal at story by Tarashankar
different ages is shown Bandopadhyay and
growing up, first in starring the legendary
Benaras, where the family Chhabi Biwas, it was a gentle yet trenchant
moved, and later, after look at the end of the decadent feudal age
the father’s death, to Kolkata to study. in Bengal. A zamindar, Biswambhar Roy
The focus of this part is the bond between (Biswas) is caught up in his own world
Apu and his mother Sarbajaya (Karuna of music and drama, in his grand concert
Banerjee), who feels abandoned when room, as the system of entitlement and
he leaves for Kolkata. Apu’s visits to the prestige, built over generations crumbles
village becomeless frequent and he is not around him. The zamindari system is
even present when his mother dies. He abolished by the government, the lands are
returns to the city to continue his life alone. hit by floods, and his power threatened by
an ambitious and wealthy parvenu. But
Apur Sansar (1959): Roy is willing to lose everything to retain
In the last part of the the decaying glory of his family. Ustad
trilogy, Apu is now a Vilayat Khan composed the classical-based
grown man, played by music for the film. Dance and music greats,
Soumitra Chatterjee, like Ustad Waheed Khan, Roshan Kumar,
with whom Ray formed Begum Akhtar appeared on screen.
a lasting working
relationship that Devi (1960):
included 14 films over Set in 19th century rural Bengal, this
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