The World of Apu (1959)

CinemaSerf January 9, 2026

★ 7/10

By this third instalment of the adventures of “Apu” (now Soumitra Chatterjee), I was already quite fond of him. He has to shake off the last vestiges of his student years and find himself a job. Even with a teaching qualification this aspiring novelist finds that’s easier said than done but he gets by, delaying settling his seven rupee a month rent for as long as he can, and living cheaply. Then his friend “Pulu” (Swapan Mukherjee) introduces him to his sister “Aparna” (Sharmila Tagore) and the direction of his life takes quite an heartfelt change in direction. Before long they are married, she has become pregnant and has left to spend the tail end of her pregnancy with her wealthier parents. Before he has a chance to join them, a tragedy ensues that affects the young man profoundly. Unable to face his grief he takes to the road on a pilgrimage of sorts, only a directionles…