Review of Aparajito (1956) by Michael L — 31 Dec 2011

Following the film "Pather Panchali," Sayatjit Ray's "Aparajito" is an overwhelming masterpiece that has vastly grown with age. This superior motion picture shows the family in the city, Benaris to be exact, where tragic circumstances (both in the previous and current picture), leave the father and sister dead due to illnesses.

This causes Apu and his mother to move out of the city, where Apu goes to grade school and then gets the opportunity to go college, leaving his mother in a very lonesome state. Even though this film takes place in the 1950's and is in India, someone today like me living in Canada could sadly find themselves in the same situation.

All the situations are realistically depicted. The loneliness the mother faces is so overwhelming, that it eventually leads to a significant decline in her health and sadly, her death. If you don't feel tears run down your face, you did not watch this film properly.

Absolutely stunning!