Apu and his family have moved away from the country to live in the bustling holy city of Benares. As he progresses from wide-eyed child to intellectually curious teenager, eventually studying in Kolkata, we witness his academic and moral education, as well as the growing complexity of his relationship with his mother.
An aging, decadent landlord’s passion for music becomes the undoing of his legacy as he sacrifices his wealth in order to compete with the opulent music room of his younger, richer neighbour.
Pramila and Bimal live with their father and step mother. Bimal is looking for a job and gets romantically involved with Shanta, a married woman. Pramila also gets involved with Nagen, her boss. The complexities lead to Shanta committing suicide and Pramila going through an abortion. Both are shattered but resolve to get back into life.
