I usually don't like realistic slice-of-life dramas, but even giving the film as much credit as I possibly can, I still don't see why it is regarded as a masterpiece. There are a few things I can commend it for, especially the acting. I can totally believe in the eccentric grandmother, the strung-out mother, the mischievous sibling relationship and the simple but fragile village life. Yet I also feel like nothing really happened. After about the first fifteen minutes, I got the main message of what life is like for these characters, and then the film offered nothing else beyond that. I was totally more interested in the dogs than Tunu's necklace.
Review of Pather Panchali
