Kabuliwala

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, Rahmat 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, Rahmat warns that he will not tolerate abuse and stabs the guy when he does not stop.

In the court Rahmat's lawyer tries to obfuscate the facts but, in his characteristic and simple fashion, Rahmat states the truth in a matter-of-fact way. The judge, pleased with Rahmat's honesty, gives him 8 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 15-year-old girl who is about to get married. Mini does not recognize the aged Rahmat, who realizes that his daughter must have forgotten him, too. Mini's father advises him to go back to his homeland and Mini's mother gives Rahmat the money for travel out of the wedding budget to which Mini agrees; she also sends a gift for Rahmat's daughter.

Cast

Chhabi Biswas as Rahmat

Tinku (Oindrila Tagore) as Mini

Manju Dey as Mini's Mother

Jiben Bose as Jailor

Radhamohan Bhattacharya as Mini's Father

Kali Banerjee as a fellow jailmate

Jahor Roy as Bhola, the man-servant

Asha Devi as Maid

Md Al Amin as Photographer

Nripati Chatterjee as a borrower

Production

The Afghanistan part in the film was shot in Rajasthan.

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