Pather Panchali

---

THE WEST BENGAL GOVERNMENT

presents

Based on the Novel by

BIBHUTIBHUSAN BANERJEE

PATHER PANCHALI:

(SONG OF THE LITTLE ROAD)

Outdoor Sequences Filmed

with the Kind Cooperation

of the Village of Boral.

Starring

KANU BANERJEE:

KARUNA BANERJEE:

CHUNIBALA DEVI:

UMA DAS GUPTA:

SUBIR BANERJEE:

RUNKI BANERJEE:

REBA DEVI, APARNA DEVI

TULSI CHAKRAVARTI

Cinematography by

SUBRATA MITRA:

Art Direction by

BANSI CHANDRAGUPTA

Edited by

DULAL DUTTA:

Sound by

BHUPEN GHOSH:

Production Manager

ANIL CHOUDHURY:

Distributed by

AURORA FILMS:

Processing by

BENGAL FILM LABORATORIES

Sound Recorded

on RCA and KINEVOX Systems

Music by

RAVI SHANKAR:

Written and Directed by

SATYAJIT RAY:

Who's there?

Look at that!

Hey!

That girl won't leave

any fruit on the trees!

That orchard wasn't free.

We paid good money for it.

I've said all along,

"If we want any fruit left,

we'll have to fence it in."

So many thieves in this village!

- What happened?

It's Harihar's little brat!

She doesn't leave

a single piece of fruit!

The moment I turn my back,

she steals it!

- What did she take?

- I saw her take a guava.

Who knows what else?

I can't watch every tree!

- Why don't you talk to them?

- Talk to whom?

Who would listen to me anyway?

She's not my daughter.

If her own mother doesn't care,

what's it matter

what you or I say?

Her mother will learn

when the whole village

turns against her.

It's just bad upbringing.

Children learn

what they're taught.

Shall I carry that for you?

No, thank you.

Why not let me help?

Can you manage?

Yes.

Oh, dear.

I forgot to save some for you.

Wait.

Durga.

Come along.

She's doing no harm.

Let her stay.

Why should she watch you eat?

Come here!

Go on. She's calling you.

Run along to your mother.

Right now!

What did you take

from Mrs. Mukherjee's orchard?

Tell me.

What are you hiding?

Show me!

Take it back.

And sweep the yard

when you come back.

Auntie.

You realize the harm

you're doing the girl?

- What do you mean?

- Need I tell you?

Who eats that fruit?

What fruit?

The fruit Durga brings you.

- She's just a child -

- But you're not.

Have you no sense?

Who do you think you are?

Think you can do as you please

because we put you up?

I know you too well.

- What a lot of nonsense!

Must I spell it out?

Haven't you been stealing

from my kitchen?

Oil, salt, chilies?

Shall I look in your box?

Well?

Why don't you answer?

You can't stay here

and carry on like this.

Maybe you should go

somewhere else.

I'm fed up.

It's been eight years,

and I won't take any more.

You corrupt my daughter,

and I get the blame.

I won't allow it.

I don't need this bother

at my age.

Out of the way!

Auntie, where are you going?

Auntie!

Durga, come here.

Let go!

Durga, come here!

Did you give it back?

What else did I tell you to do?

Where have you been,

Auntie Indir?

At Raju's.

This morning Shaila told me

about Hari's new son.

I was on my way

when this child came to get me.

We met on the road.

Go in and see

your beautiful little nephew.

Where's the little darling?

Auntie, you're back at last.

Take the blanket off

so I can have a good look.

The little darling!

What a little darling!

Bulbuls have eaten the rice

How shall I pay the tax?

Baby shall ride in a boat

And wear red shoes

Who dares say his skin is dark?

Ten...

11, 12...

13...

Sleep, golden one

I'll send for the goldsmith

To make you a gold chain

- What are you cooking?

- Can't you see?

A sumptuous feast.

What else?

You should one day.

Or have you forgotten how?

I have.

Too bad.

I thought we might celebrate

our son's first mouthful of rice.

With what money?

I start work

for Mr. Ray next month.

Really?

I saw Nilmoni today.

He said Mr. Ray gave his word.

- Did you ask about the pay?

- I'm not worried.

Besides, I'm not going

to collect his rents forever.

He can't make me

his bonded slave.

That money and the fees

for my services as a priest

will keep the family

going for now.

Besides, there are always

good times and bad.

Things are going well.

The boy was born in January,

and you found work in the spring.

That's why

we should spend a little

to celebrate in style

and save face

with the neighbors.

Besides,

they'll all praise your cooking.

That's something, isn't it?

Will he pay regularly?

Why wouldn't he?

Ray's a good man.

Who's to say

who's good and who's not?

People are always cheating you.

Like when?

Didn't they steal the orchard

from right under our noses?

They said my brother owed them

money when he was alive.

The orchard satisfied that debt.

We'd have no worries

if we still had that orchard.

Mangoes, rose apples, coconuts.

They pick sackfuls of our fruit,

but if Durga takes

a single guava -

Why worry about them?

They're moneylenders,

and I'm a scholar.

Who cares about that

in this godforsaken village?

Listen to what I'm writing now:

New and original plays

and poems.

When word gets around,

the traveling troupes

will come in droves.

Where else can they get

new material?

Original plays don't grow on trees.

Other writers just rehash

the same old stuff.

If that's acceptable,

won't the original works

of Harihar Ray be as well?

Of course.

And as a scholar,

you'll be respected in the village.

What could be better?

You'll educate the boy...

give him his sacred thread,

teach him to worship the gods.

Durga will find a good husband.

Two good meals a day,

new clothes twice a year -

what more could we want?

We'll have all that and more.

My ancestors were writers,

after all.

They left a legacy

that can't be ignored.

Just wait two years.

My debts will be paid off

and the house repaired,

and you won't have to fix

spinach and rice every day!

How about that?

Apu! Aren't you up yet?

Apu, aren't you going

to school?

Wake up.

Durga.

Durga, get Apu up.

He has to get ready for school.

He's still snoring away.

Only half a pot, ma'am.

Are you feeding the cow enough?

Apu, get up.

"Deep in the heart of Janasthan..."

Hey!

Why are you getting up again?

How many more times

must you dampen your eraser?

Sit down.

"Deep in the heart of Janasthan..."

Puti, what do you want?

One paisa of puffed rice.

Hand over the money.

"...stands the mighty

mountain Prasravan...

its lofty summit...

crowned

by ever drifting clouds...

that ceaseless gales...

urge along

the pathways of the sky..."

How are you, Prasanna?

Welcome, Mr. Majumdar!

Dear me!

It's a trap to kill people!

- Hello there.

- How's everything?

Just fine.

Come in, come in.

You've spread quite a net, eh?

How many little fish

have you caught now?

There were eight.

A new boy just arrived.

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