Vol. 6, Issue 2, Part F (2024)

As a seminal work of Indian cinema, Pather Panchali is celebrated for its neorealist portrayal of rural Bengal and its humanistic exploration of poverty and survival. However, despite the film’s critical acclaim as the starting point of the Apu Trilogy, the stories of its women have often been marginalized or forgotten. This study examines how the cultural phenomenon of the "panchali" is integral to the Bengali female subculture and how the film’s narrative and cinematographic techniques highlight the resilience and agency of its female characters. Through a close analysis of key scenes, camera angles and shot lengths, this paper argues that the survival skills and emotional labour of Sarbajaya, Durga, and Indir Thakrun are crucial to the film's depiction of rural life. By combining literary and film studies methodologies, the paper seeks to reframe Pather Panchali as not only Apu’s story but also a narrative of the women whose lives shape the contours of the film’s world.