Low-budget film popular 1992 film "El Mariachi", in which the director Robert Rodriguez was unable to afford second takes due to the $7000 budget. Despite this, it was a success both critically and commercially, and started the young director's career. Some of the most critically acclaimed micro-budget films were by the Bengali film director Satyajit Ray, his most famous being "The Apu Trilogy" (1955–1959). The first film in the trilogy, "Pather Panchali" (1955), was produced on a shoestring budget of Rs.200,000 ($3000) using an amateur cast and crew. The three films are now frequently listed among the greatest films of all time.
Aparajito Ghosal who played the role of adolescent "Apu", at the age of 14, did only one more film, documentary "Rabindranath Tagore" (1961), also made by Ray, where he played young Rabindranath Tagore. Smaran died in 2008 in Kolkata, at the age of 64. "Aparajito" was preceded by "Pather Panchali" (1955) and followed by "Apur Sansar" ("The World of Apu") in 1959. Together, the three films constitute the Apu trilogy. "Pather Panchali" portrays the childhood of Apu in their ancestral house. "Apur Sansar" depicts Apu's adult life, his reaction to his wife's premature death, and his final bonding with his son