Apur Shangshar (Apu with Son) Coffee Mug

The World of Apu, initially released as Apur Sansar (Bengali: অপুর সংসার), is a 1959 Indian Bengali-language drama film written, produced, and directed by Satyajit Ray. It is adapted from the second half of Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay’s novel Aparajito. Preceded by Pather Panchali (1955) and Aparajito (1956), it is the concluding instalment of Ray’s acclaimed Apu Trilogy, chronicling the life of Apu, a young Bengali man, through his formative years in early twentieth-century India. The film stars Soumitra Chatterjee in his debut role as Apu, alongside Sharmila Tagore as Apu’s wife, Aparna—both of whom would become frequent collaborators in Ray’s later works. Premiering on 1 May 1959, The World of Apu received widespread critical acclaim. It was awarded the Indian National Film Award for Best Feature Film and earned multiple international accolades, including the Sutherland Award for Best Original and Imaginative Film and the National Board of Review Award for Best Foreign Language Film.