"Parash Pathar" "would belong among Ray's best work, were it not for some rough edges which betray the speed at which it was shot ... its humour only partly transplants to the west." says Andrew Robinson. Satyajit Ray himself described the film as a "combination of comedy, fantasy, satire, farce and a touch of "pathos"." The film was entered into the 1958 Cannes Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Palme d'Or (Best Film).