Rediscovering the Magic of 'Bicycle Thieves.'

I grew up in a small town called Siliguri, nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal. Though it’s officially a town in West Bengal, Siliguri has always been a beautiful melting pot of cultures. Just an hour from the borders of Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh, the city was a vibrant mix of Bengalis, Marwaris, Biharis, Punjabis, Nepalis, Assamese, Bangladeshis and the local tribes from the plains and hills. This rich blend of people brought a unique flavour to the culture of Siliguri, making it a place unlike any other.

Having grown up in a diverse environment, I was lucky to be exposed to a wide range of cultural influences. Among these influences, one that stood out was watching films. One of my most beloved childhood spots was the state government-run Tathya Kendra, home to the Dinabandhu Mancha theater stage. This venue was unique in town as it offered screenings of movies by renowned directors such as Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, Shyam Benegal, James Cameron, Charlie Chaplin, and others. These screenings took place for a few days each month in a comfortable, air-conditioned hall, with tickets priced affordably enough for even a college student like myself to attend. Surprisingly, despite the cinematic treasures on offer, the hall was typically only filled to about 10-20% capacity.

Once or twice a year, film festivals were also organised, and the occupancy would slightly rise during the festa to around 40-50%. It was during one of these festivals that I saw "Bicycle Thieves" by Vittorio De Sica on the list. Excited, I reached the hall half an hour early, as usual. But to my utter surprise, there were no tickets left! The place was crowded with people I had never seen before. They looked so different, young crowd mostly of my age speaking in English among themselves, and they felt like strangers in my familiar little world. I had come to watch the film because I had heard so much about it in various film discussions and read about it in film literature, but I had no idea it was so popular among the masses.

My heart sank as I realized that my only chance to watch this masterpiece was gone. I left the hall with a heavy heart, not knowing when or if I would ever get to watch the film. It wasn’t until 25 years later that I finally watched "Bicycle Thieves" on a wide-screen TV in my bedroom, leaning against the comforts of the pillows of my bed. The experience was different, of course, but as I watched, I was flooded with memories of that day in Siliguri when I first tried to see it, surrounded by a world that was at once recognizable yet strangely unfamiliar.

I watched the film about 72 years after it was first released. Watching it was not easy—not because the story was hard to follow, not because of too much depiction of poverty, but because the film created such a powerful and emotional atmosphere. The setting of "Bicycle Thieves" pulls at your heartstrings, especially when you see the struggles of life that it portrays. This kind of emotional impact is common in films from the Italian neorealist movement, but "Bicycle Thieves" by Vittorio De Sica stands out as one of the most famous and unforgettable.

The film captures the very essence of Italian neorealism, showcasing the harsh realities of life with such honesty and simplicity. When I first watched it, I was deeply moved, and that feeling stayed with me every time I revisited the film, even though it brought back the same emotions and sense of unease. It's a film that resonates with you, making you reflect on the challenges and pain of ordinary people, and how those struggles connect us all.

I strongly urge all of you to watch this film, but you might wonder, why should you watch a 75-year-old black-and-white movie. The movie is not just about poverty or the harsh realities of life after a dictatorship, though those are part of its story. It’s about much more—it’s about seeing and truly caring. It shows how easily we can be distracted from what matters in life. The tragedy in the film doesn’t just come from external hardships like poverty or injustice but from something deeper—a lack of empathy. It reminds us of the importance of understanding and connecting, especially in difficult times.

This is why “Bicycle Thieves” remains so powerful and relevant, even after all these years. It’s a film that touches the heart and makes you think, urging you to look at the world with more compassion. It is a film that has aged beautifully, remaining as relevant today as when it was first released. Its portrayal of poverty still resonates deeply, reflecting the harsh realities that many continue to face. From the very first time I watched it, I struggled to find the right words to describe the powerful emotions it stirred within me. No matter how much I tried, I felt that my words could never fully capture the authenticity and depth of what I experienced while watching this film. The same feeling also happens with our own Panther Panchali as well. Directed by Vittorio De Sica

Screenplay by Oreste Biancoli, Suso D’Amico, Vittorio De Sica, Adolfo Franci, Gherardo Gherardi, Gerardo Guerrieri, Cesare Zavattini, from the novel by Luigi Bartolini

Produced by Giuseppe Amato

Starring Lamberto Maggiorani, Enzo Staiola

Release Year: 1948

Running Time: 89 minutes

The Trailer: