Kabuliwala

Kabuliwala poster for sale.

Written and directed by master filmmaker Tapan Sinha, Kabuliwala (1957) is considered one of the finest films ever made in Bengali cinema.

The film was based on a popular story penned by legendary Bengali writer Rabindranath Tagore, who was the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913. One of the most influential contributors to Indian culture, Rabindranath Tagore wrote and composed national anthems for both India as well as Bangladesh.

Set in Kolkata, Kabuliwala told the touching tale of an unlikely friendship forged between a traveling dry fruit seller from Afghanistan and a young Bengali girl who reminds him of his own daughter back home in Kabul.

Kabuliwala (1957) starred Chhabi Biswas in the titular role of Kabuliwala. Legendary actress Sharmila Tagore’s (Rinku) younger sister Oindrila Tagore (Tinku) who was the first in the family to make her film debut, played the role of Mini.

Printed and circulated during the release run of the film in theaters (somewhere in the 1960s), this old Bengali cinema poster was designed and printed for publicity of the film but never ended up being used.

This vintage Kabuliwala poster was originally designed in hand painted oil on canvas format by a poster design studio in Kolkata. The unique design of this old Bengali movie poster makes it truly one-of-a-kind and highly collectible.

The central character of the film, i.e. “Kabuliwala” or the “Man from Kabul” and little girl Mini are seen illustrated in a very artistic, animated and somewhat abstract rendition inspired in part from expressionist portraiture.

Typography used in this vintage Kabuliwala poster is entirely in Bengali, with the title drawn in very stylized font that matches the artwork.

Kabuliwala won the 1956 National Film Award for Best Feature Film and the Silver Bear Extraordinary Prize of the Jury at the 7th Berlin International Film Festival, making this old Bengali film poster, very sought after.