Kabuliwala
Encyclopedia
Kabuliwala ) is a 1957 Bengali
film directed by Tapan Sinha
and based on the eponymous story by the Bengali writer Rabindranath Tagore
.
), a middle-aged fruit seller from Afghanistan
, comes to Calcutta to hawk his merchandise and befriends a small Bengali girl called Mini (Tinku Thakur) who reminds him of his own daughter back in Afghanistan. He puts up at a boarding house along with his countrymen.
One day Rehmat receives news of his daughter’s illness through a letter from his country and he decides to leave for his country. Since he is short of money he decides to sell his goods on credit for increasing his business. Later, when he goes to collect on his money, one of his customers abuses him and in the fight that ensues Rehmat warns that he will not tolerate abuse and stabs the guy when he does not stop the abuse.
In the court Rehmat's lawyer tries to obfuscate the facts but in his characteristic and simple fashion Rehmat states the truth in a matter of fact way. The judge, pleased with Rehmat's honesty, gives him 10 years' rigorous imprisonment instead of the death sentence. On the day of his release he goes to meet Mini but discovers that she has grown up into a 14-year old girl and is about to get married. Mini does not recognize Rehmat, who realizes that his own daughter must have forgotten him too. Mini's father gives Rehmat the money for travel out of Mini's wedding budget to which Minnie agrees; she also sends a gift for Rehmat's daughter.
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
film directed by Tapan Sinha
Tapan Sinha
Tapan Sinha , was a Indian film director. He was arguably the most uncompromising filmmaker outside the orbit of Parallel Cinema.-Personal life and background:...
and based on the eponymous story by the Bengali writer Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore , sobriquet Gurudev, was a Bengali polymath who reshaped his region's literature and music. Author of Gitanjali and its "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse", he became the first non-European Nobel laureate by earning the 1913 Prize in Literature...
.
Plot
Rehmat (Chhabi BiswasChhabi Biswas
Chhabi Biswas was a much revered Bengali character actor, primarily known for his performances in Tapan Sinha's Kabuliwala and Satyajit Ray's films Jalshaghar , Devi and Kanchenjungha .He is the best remembered for his numerous roles as the quintessential aristocratic patriarch, was himself the...
), a middle-aged fruit seller from Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, comes to Calcutta to hawk his merchandise and befriends a small Bengali girl called Mini (Tinku Thakur) who reminds him of his own daughter back in Afghanistan. He puts up at a boarding house along with his countrymen.
One day Rehmat receives news of his daughter’s illness through a letter from his country and he decides to leave for his country. Since he is short of money he decides to sell his goods on credit for increasing his business. Later, when he goes to collect on his money, one of his customers abuses him and in the fight that ensues Rehmat warns that he will not tolerate abuse and stabs the guy when he does not stop the abuse.
In the court Rehmat's lawyer tries to obfuscate the facts but in his characteristic and simple fashion Rehmat states the truth in a matter of fact way. The judge, pleased with Rehmat's honesty, gives him 10 years' rigorous imprisonment instead of the death sentence. On the day of his release he goes to meet Mini but discovers that she has grown up into a 14-year old girl and is about to get married. Mini does not recognize Rehmat, who realizes that his own daughter must have forgotten him too. Mini's father gives Rehmat the money for travel out of Mini's wedding budget to which Minnie agrees; she also sends a gift for Rehmat's daughter.
Cast
- Chhabi BiswasChhabi BiswasChhabi Biswas was a much revered Bengali character actor, primarily known for his performances in Tapan Sinha's Kabuliwala and Satyajit Ray's films Jalshaghar , Devi and Kanchenjungha .He is the best remembered for his numerous roles as the quintessential aristocratic patriarch, was himself the...
... Rehmat - Tinku ... Mini
- Radhamohan Bhattacharya ... Girl's Father
- Manju Dey ... Girl's Mother
- Jiben Bose ... Jailor
- Asha Devi ... Maid
- Kali Bannerjee
- Jahar Ray
- Nripati Chatterjee
Awards
- National Film Award for Best FilmNational Film Award for Best FilmThe National Award for Best Feature film is one of the National Film Awards presented annually by the Directorate of Film Festivals, India, and was constituted in the year 1954. This is one of the Golden Lotus Awards given among National Film Awards...
- 1957 - Silver Bear Extraordinary Prize of the Jury - 7th Berlin International Film Festival7th Berlin International Film FestivalThe 7th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from June 21 to July 2, 1957.-Jury:* Jay Carmody * Jean de Baroncelli* John Sutro* Dalpathal Kothari* Fernaldo Di Giammatteo* Bunzaburo Hayashi* Miguel Alemán hijo...
External links
- Kabuliwala (1956) detailed info at www.upperstall.com
- Kabuliwala by Rabindranath Tagore Translation