Four young men spend their country holiday in an unused bungalow where they come into contact with the villagers, meet a rich family, and develop relationships with women before returning to their urban existence. Anton Chekhov and Jean Renoir come to mind (Ray had worked as an assistant on Renoir’s The River), especially in the magical picnic scene. But the subtle revelation of character through the purposefully slow tempo and the deceptively simple cinematic effects are the master Indian director’s own creations.