The story picks up where “Pather Panchali” leaves off, with Apu and his family having moved away from the country to live in the bustling holy city of Varanasi. As Apu progresses from wide-eyed child to intellectually curious teenager, He excels at his studies, impressing the headmaster of school. Within a few years, the teenaged Apu has done well enough to receive a scholarship to go to Kolkata for further studies. We witness his academic and moral education, as well as the growing complexity of his relationship with his mother.

Winner of the Golden Lion at the 1957 Venice International Film Festival.