Chunibala Devi in an international film festival - The Manila Film festival, for her role of Indir Thakrun. She died in Kolkata, of influenza, in 1955, before the release of Pather Panchali, although Ray had been to her house to show her a projection. Chunibala Devi Chunibala Devi, born circ. 1875 — 1955 in Kolkata, was an Indian character actress best known for her performance in Satyajit Ray's "Pather Panchali", where she played the old aunt, Indir Thakrun, to Apu and Durga. Formerly a theatre actress, Chunibala Devi made her film debut with Bigraha in 1930, though after her second film, Rikta
The Apu Trilogy & Sound", the British Film Institute's film magazine, listed "Pather Panchali" several times in its Critics' Poll of all-time greatest films, in 1962 (ranked #11), 1982 (ranked #79), 1992 (ranked #6) and 2002 (ranked #22). "The World of Apu" appeared in 1982, ranked at #42. In the 1992 edition, both "Aparajito" and "The World of Apu" were tied at #127, while "The Apu Trilogy" was ranked separately at #88. In a combined list of "Sight & Sound" critics' and directors' poll results in 2002, "Pather Panchali" was ranked at No. 28, "The World of Apu" at No. 93 and "Aparajito"