Kabuliwala (1957 film)

This article is about the 1957 Bengali film. For the 1961 Bollywood film, see Kabuliwala (1961 film). For 1993 Malayalam film, see Kabooliwala.

Kabuliwala
Kabuliwala (1957) cover
Directed by	Tapan Sinha
Produced by	Charuchitra
Screenplay by	Tapan Sinha
Story by	Rabindranath Tagore
Starring	Chhabi Biswas Oindrila Tagore (Tinku) Asha Devi
Music by	Ravi Shankar
Cinematography	Anil Banerjee
Edited by	Subodh Ray
Distributed by	both
Release dates	4 January 1957 (1957-01-04)
Running time	116 minutes
Country	India
Language	Bengali

Kabuliwala (Bengali: কাবুলিওয়ালা) is a 1957 Bengali film directed by Tapan Sinha and based on the eponymous story by the Bengali writer Rabindranath Tagore.

Plot

Rahmat (Chhabi Biswas), a middle-age fruit seller from Afghanistan, comes to Calcutta to hawk his merchandise. He befriends a small Bengali girl called Mini (Oindrila Tagore aka Tinku Tagore) who reminds him of his daughter back in Afghanistan. He stays at a boarding house with his countrymen.

One day Rehmat receives a letter with news of his daughter’s illness; he decides to leave for his country. Since he is short of money he sells his goods on credit to increase his business. Later, when he goes to collect his money, one of his customers abuses him. In the fight that ensues, Rehmat warns that he will not tolerate abuse and stabs the guy when he does not stop.

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 and discovers that she has grown up into a 14-year-old girl who is about to get married. Mini does not recognize Rehmat, who realizes that his daughter must have forgotten him, too. Mini's father gives Rehmat the money for travel out of the wedding budget to which Mini agrees; she also sends a gift for Rehmat's daughter.

Cast

• Chhabi Biswas as Rehmat
• Tinku as Mini
• Radhamohan Bhattacharya as Girl's Father
• Manju Dey as Girl's Mother
• Jiben Bose as Jailor
• Asha Devi as Maid
• Kali Banerjee
• Jahar Ray
• Nripati Chatterjee

Awards

• National Film Awards
  • 1956 - National Film Award for Best Feature Film
  • 1956 - National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali

• Silver Bear Extraordinary Prize of the Jury - 7th Berlin International Film Festival

See also

• Kabuliwala (1961 film)

External links

• Kabuliwala at AllMovie
• Kabuliwala at IMDb
• Kabuliwala (1956) detailed info at www.upperstall.com
• Kabuliwala by Rabindranath Tagore Translation