Aparajito (1956)

DVD Box - The Apu Trilogy

This film is not in the Empire 500 - it is part of The Apu Trilogy which is in the Empire 500.

Aparajito continues where Pather Panchali left off. Apu is in the city with his parents living in relative poverty. His father is barely scraping together money to let the family live on, his mother is being hit on by the man living upstairs and Apu is just happily enjoying company of children his own age.

It continues in the same slow, plodding pace of the first film, which I found made it easier to get straight back into watching it, having only watched the first one yesterday.

Theatrical Poster

Early on in the film, the bad luck continues for the family as Apu's father dies, leaving him and his mother fending for themselves. They move back to the country with their landlady, and Apu finds a passion for education. The rest of the film continues in a manner that is certainly relateable for those in further education in present-day England. Apu's mother struggles as Apu leaves for Calcutta, missing her son greatly.

A much easier film to get straight into, but I would recommend watching Pather Panchali first so that you understand the background story first.

Highly emotional, down-to-earth tale of Indian life.

• Empire Review
• Internet Movie Database
• Wikipedia
• Amazon