Balu Mahendra to the script". As a film-maker, he claimed himself as belonging to the realistic way of story-telling devised by Satyajit Ray and Vittorio De Sica. Mahendra was drawn towards realistic cinema after watching Ray's "Pather Panchali" (1955). He is credited as being one among the earliest filmmakers to bring "naturalism" in Tamil cinema in the 1970s. He usually photographed, scripted and edited all his films. His films were characterised by strong "visual appeal" and minimal number of characters. A majority of his films centre on the complexity of human relationships and are known to portray women as strong characters. Although
Apur Panchali lost-in-the-crowd Subir initially doesn't want to receive the letter but he eventually agrees after Arka convinces him. Subir recounts his days working for Pather Panchali to Arka. They also visit an old broken house where the film was shot. Arka collects a brick from the house as a souvenir. Later, as they prepare for their journey to Germany, Subir narrates his life story to Arka. After Subir's brother went away to work in Dhanbad, Subir; now in his 20s; had to give up his football career to take care of his ill father and help his mother in her household