Way back in early 2019, it was reported that the National Film Award-winning filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar (Chandni Bar, Traffic Signal) was set to carry forward the legacy of legendary Indian filmmaker Satyajit Ray’s cult film series ‘Apu Trilogy’ with his maiden Bengali production venture titled ‘Avijatrik’. And earlier today, it was announced that ‘Avijatrik’ aka ‘the Wanderlust of Apu’ is all set to get a theatrical release on 26th November 2021.
Written and directed by Subhrajit Mitra, ‘Avijatrik’ is a Bengali language film whose plot is based on the novel ‘Aparajito’ written by Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay (author of Pather Panchali). The movie is the final installment and a sequel to Satyajit Ray’s critically acclaimed film series ‘Apu Trilogy’. The trilogy consisted of Satyajit Ray’s directorial debut ‘Pather Panchali’ (1955) that was followed by Aparajito (1956) and The World of Apu (1959).
The events of ‘Avijatrik’ would ostensibly take place after the trilogy’s last film ‘The World of Apu’ aka ‘Apur Sansar’ and the plot would revolve around the bond between the protagonist father Apu and his son Kajol. Like the trilogy, ‘Avijatrik’ was reportedly shot in monochrome to retain the period look of 1940s Kolkata and the parent films’ essence.
The fact that Madhur Bhandarkar has co-produced the film does not come as a surprise as the veteran filmmaker is a self-professed admirer of Satyajit Ray’s cinematic works. Moreover, he was also nominated as a society member of the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute.
‘Avijatrik’ is finally releasing in cinemas this year on November 26 after premiering in the 2021 edition of the Kolkata International Film Festival and last month at the London Indian Film Festival. Next-gen cinephiles will finally be able to get a taste of Apu’s timeless character helmed by the talented Subhrajit Mitra. The film features Arjun Chakrabarty, Sabyasachi Chakraborty, Arpita Chatterjee, and Ditipriya Roy, amongst other cast members.