Cinema's sunehri chidiya

Singing through the golden age of Indian film, rediscover the forgotten cinematic gems that once bejewelled our theatres...and we would love to see again

It's been a year of revisiting some of the best of cinema from yesteryears on the big screen. With the centenary celebrations of the Indian film industry's original 'showman' Raj Kapoor including the screening of some of his best works and modern classics such as Kal Ho Naa Ho, Veer Zaara and Zindagi Na Milegi Na Dobara, gracing theatres once again, it has been a year of reminding audiences why great cinema endures while introducing first-time viewers to these wonders.

In that same spirit of endless discovery, Mirror takes a look back at some of the most influential films of India's cinematic golden age-from the 50s through the 60s-that created a space for themselves in the chapters of international movie history and the Indian subconscious and would be a delight to revisit on the big screen. This is, of course, a drop in the massive ocean that Indian cinema is.

Pather Panchali | 1955 Directed by Satyajit Ray

Conferred an Academy Honorary Award for his impact on world cinema the only Indian to have accomplished the feat-legendary director Satyajit Ray's Pather Panchali stands as the crowning jewel of his illustrious filmography.

A searing depiction of Indian rural life, the film chronicles the childhood of Apu and his elder sister, Durga, amidst the harsh village life of their poor family. Ray's poetic ode to life's cyclic nature garnered international acclaim, cementing itself in the annals of the greatest films ever made and is a masterclass for cinematographers.

Awaara | 1951 Directed by Raj Kapoor