Kabuliwala Bengali: কাবুলীওয়ালা) is a story written by Bengali writer Rabindranath Tagore. Two films have been produced based on this story, both named Kabuliwala. The first was filmed in Bengali in 1956 by Tapan Sinha, and the second in Hindi, also titled, Kabuliwala in 1961, directed by Hemen Gupta, produced by Bimal Roy. At the 7th Berlin International Film Festival the film won the Silver Bear Extraordinary Prize of the Jury award. Rehmat (Chhabi Biswas), a middle-aged fruit seller from Afghanistan comes to Calcutta to hawk his merchandise and befriends a small Bengali girl called Minnie (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 daughters 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 Rehmats honesty gives him 10 years rigorous imprisonment instead of the death sentence. On the day of his release he goes to meet Minnie but discovers that ...
Keywords: Ganga, Aayeh, Kahan, seh, Kabuliwala, (1961)