What it’s about
In the early 1930s, Apu (Chatterjee) lives in a one-room apartment in Calcutta and seeks clerical work while dreaming of becoming a great novelist. He accompanies his friend Pulu (Mukherjee) to a wedding and through a strange twist of fate, returns to Calcutta with a young bride Aparna (Tagore). Unfortunately, the couple’s happiness is short-lived, providing a wrenching life lesson for Apu.
Why we love it
The crown jewel of Ray’s famed trilogy culminates in Apu’s journey towards manhood and self-realization. Filled with poetic imagery and a haunting score by Ravi Shankar, Ray’s camera invites us into Apu’s life, in all its wonder and banality. Chatterjee and first-time actor Tagore convey such joy in their chaste scenes together that their love jumps off the screen. Ray’s masterpiece is a study of life’s inevitable ebbs and flows, yet “Apur” leaves us hopeful about our shared humanity. Don’t miss this sublime final chapter in the “Apu” saga.