Apur Sansur (The World Of Apu)

Satyajit Ray, India 1959, 105 minutes

The great Satyajit Ray, perhaps Indian cinema's greatest director, gives us here the conclusion to his trilogy of life in India in the 1930s the previous installments being Pather Panchali and Aparajito, also worth checking out. Taken from a novel by Bibhuti Bannerjee, this film follows the life of the young boy from the earlier parts of the trilogy and his family as they deal with the tricky problem of arranged marriage. The boy, Apu, is now grown up and has finished his schooling. His attempts to get a job are constantly thwarted by a single-minded bureaucracy and his life becomes even more complicated when, in a visit to his cousins wedding, he is talked into marrying the girl himself when the groom has a fit during the ceremony.

The film then follows the two newlyweds and explores the love that grows between them, the tragedy that befalls Apu and the completion of the cycle as he attempts to become reunited with his own son after several years of denial. Although the story appears simple, its delineation of character makes the film seem timeless, placeless and a fair telling of the pains of love and subsequent troubles. This film is on a par with its predecessors in terms of knowing insight, poetic imagery and ability, but surpasses them in sheer craftsmanship. The director, with an experienced and technically proficient crew to work with, makes the truth of the film's relationships stand out. Along with the strong portrayal of India he creates a tender, revealing film.

Review by Neil Chue Hong
Taken from EUFS Programme 1997-98