Essay on the Apu Trilogy. Visual & Performing Arts Essay

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The Apu Trilogy
Satyajit Ray's three films, Pather Panchali (1955), Aparajito (1956) and The World of Apu (1959), are collectively known as The Apu Trilogy. These films have been established classics in the cinema world. The Trilogy remains the major reason why Satyajit Ray got a Hollywood Oscar for lifetime achievement in 1992. For Satyajit Ray to get such an award, he demonstrates Western fascination about Indian movies.
History of Bollywood
The Indian moviemaking industry began in the 1930s in Bombay (now Mumbai) then it developed into the empire industry it is today. Over the years, several classic genres emerged from the industry. Unlike films from other parts of the world that emphasized more on plots, the Indian movie industry focused more on stars. The Indian audience would develop an insatiable appetite regarding the lives of the screen heroes.
After India’s independence, the late 1940s and the early 1960s marked a shift for Bollywood. Historians regard this period as the Golden Age of Hindi cinema. During this period, most of the acclaimed Hindi movies today were produced during this period. The films focused on social themes, mainly dealing with the working class, and in particular urban life. The period brought commercial success to the Hindi cinema and encouraged more Indians to venture into the film industry. The explosion of Indian films brought commercial success to the filmmakers. International audiences began to develop in the U.K and the U.S.
The surprising aspect of Satyajit Ray’s films
While Bollywood is a big phenomenon, it is surprising that for decades prior, Indian cinema was associated primarily with Satyajit Ray films. It is such a burden to have a single individual being a defining factor to many Western audiences regarding Indian cinema. Satyajit Ray’s films stand out among Bollywood films and speak for the entire cinematic output in a nation that is diverse and populous (Shambu). People may wonder what made Satyajit Ray’s Trilogy to become so popular with Western viewers.
One explanation for the admiration of the Trilogy is a large number of Western critics who have praised Satyajit Ray’s films. Some have demonstrated that Ray’s films deal with human fundamentals that surpass cultural distinctions. Such an appeal made the films as universal as music. Indeed, this is remarkable praise for ...