2. Beyond the Village

Pather Panchali: Song of the Road by Bibhuti Bhushan Banerji dramatised by Tanika Gupta from a translation by T.W. Clark & Tarapada Mukerji

A classic story of poverty and sibling love set in a remote Bengali village at the beginning of the twentieth century. The life of a poor Brahmin family is seen through the eyes of young Opu and his older sister Durga. Opu has his first experiences of life outside the village and Durga now a young woman of fourteen begins to look forward to marriage and adult life but with the monsoon rains comes tragedy.

Directed by Nadia Molinari

It is the vivid and moving story of life in a rural village on the brink of change, seen through the eyes of two children. The novel deals with the relationship between destruction and creation, and is an uplifting tale of growth and love. It is a beautiful and atmospheric novel that inspired an iconic film by Satyajit Ray in 1955.
The heart of the novel and this dramatisation is the love between brother and sister. It charts family life through a collection of daily events that cumulatively create a vivid and unforgettable world. In Tanika Gupta's dramatisation Opu, now a grown man narrates the story, looking back on his childhood and to the people he has loved, in particular his older sister Durga.

Tanika Gupta is an award-winning writer who has written extensively for radio, theatre, film and television. She was recently awarded an MBE; named Asian Woman of Achievement (Arts and Culture) and nominated for an Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement. Her production of A Doll's House for Radio 3 recently won the best adaptation BBC Audio Drama Award.