2021 marked the 160th birth and the 80th death anniversary of the great Rabindranath Tagore. He is the poet, author, songwriter, composer, a philosopher himself, and his works were considered ahead of their time. However, many renowned filmmakers including Satyajit Ray made Movies based on Rabindranath Tagore’s work.
So, today we will discuss the 7 best movies based on Rabindranath Tagore’s work. These films had their beautiful inner meaning and must be a life-changing experience for you.
Movies Based on Rabindranath Tagore’s Work
1. Kabuliwala – The Man from Kabul (1957)
Movie Kabuliwala – The Man from Kabul (1957)
Kabuliwala is a 1957 Bengali film based on the famous 1892 short story by our beloved Kobiguru.
This is the story of Rahmat, a middle-aged fruit seller who comes to Kolkata from Afghanistan to sell his wares. However, in Kolkata, he makes friends with a small girl Mini who reminds him of his daughter.
But When a customer abuses him for a transaction, Rahmat stabs the person and is taken to the court which gives him 10 years’ imprisonment. However, after his release, he goes to meet Mini, but she cannot recognize him. He also thought that his daughter must have forgotten him.
Kabuliwala Book Cover
However, in the end, Mini’s mother gives Rahmat money to travel from the wedding budget of Mini.
Theme:
The theme of ‘Kabuliwala’ is friendship. Rahmat and Mini shared a very unique bond of friendship here like a father-daughter bond.
Kabuliwala Movie scene
However, apart from their friendship, the relation between a father and a daughter portrayed very nicely. Relations mentioned in the story were, Mini and her father and Rahamat and his daughter. All these relations cause a deep effect on the mind of the reader as well as his heart.
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Kabuliwala is One of the Best Movies based on Rabindranath Tagore’s work.
Tinku - Mini Radhamohan Bhattacharya - Mini's Father Manju Dey - Mini's Mother | National Film Award for Best Feature Film(1956) National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali(1956) Silver Bear Extraordinary Prize of the Jury |
Full Movie Kabuliwala:
2. Chokher Bali – Sand in the Eye (2003)
Movie Chokher Bali Poster
Talking about the movies based on Rabindranath Tagore’s work, Chokher Bali is the best and my favorite in this list.
Chokher Bali is a 2003 Blockbuster Indian Bengali Movie based on the famous 1903 novel Chokher Bali By Rabindranath Tagore. However, directed by Rituparno Ghosh, Chokher Bali was the debut Bengali Movie of Aishwarya Rai.
Chokher Bali is an emotionally volatile film that deals with the themes of adultery, distrust, narcissism, and treachery. Widow Binodini begins an affair with the self-obsessed Mahendra, who is married to Ashalata.
Chokher Bali Movie Scenes
Meanwhile, there is a fourth person in the equation Behari who genuinely loves Binodini. The clashes between these four characters create the stuff of high-voltage drama in this modern-day classic.
Theme:
The term ‘Chokher Bali’ literally means an irritation in the eye or an eyesore, which is what Asha and Binodini become for each other in the movie. In addition, Binodini had many avatars a hopeless widow, a friend, and a remorseful woman.
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Rabindranath Tagore gives readers an insight into her desires and longings, the feeling which many widows at the time had silently undergone. However, Aishwarya Rai in the character of Binodini was outstanding and will stay with you for a long time.
Prosenjit Chatterjee(Mahendra) Raima Sen(Ashalata) Lily Chakravarty(Rajlakshmi) Tota Roy Chowdhury(Behari) Swastika Mukherjee(a young Courtesan) | Nominated(2003)-Golden Leopard (Best Film) award(Locarno International Film Festival) |
3. Charulata – The Lonely Wife(1964)
Movie Poster by Satyajit Ray
Charulata is a masterclass Indian Drama Film by Satyajit Ray released in 1964, based upon the 1901 novel ‘Nastanirh’ by beloved Rabindranath Tagore.
This film considered one of the most best-directed movies of Satyajit Ray. However, Charulata is a tale of a lonely housewife. Her husband is a newspaper editor and very busy with his work. Because of that, she was neglected and lonely.
After that, Charu’s enthusiastic and intellectual brother-in-law Amal comes to their house. Charu begins to get close to Amal and finds love again. However, because of the stunning performances by Madhabi Mukherjee and Soumitra Chatterjee, this is a must-watch movie based on Rabindranath Tagore’s work.
Charulata Movie Scenes
Theme:
Charulata has several thematic layers that make the film much more than a Bengali culture-bound love story. However, one obvious theme that attracts the most discussion about the film is the role of women in modern society. In other words, the role of women in Indian society.
Soumitra Chatterjee(Amal) Shailen Mukherjee(Bhupati Dutta) Shyamal Ghoshal(Umapada) Gitali Roy(Manda) | Golden Lotus Award for Best Film-National Film Awards India(1965) |
Charulata Movie:
4. Chaturanga– Four Chapters(2008)
Chaturanga – Four Chapters
Based on the 1916 novel by Rabindranath Tagore, Chaturanga is a 2008 Bengali movie directed by Suman Mukherjee.
Shachish is a religious man. However, he faces many challenges after Damini falls in love with him and offers him a marriage proposal.
Theme:
This film is an emotional drama that revolves around the question – what happens when love clashes with your beliefs?
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Here the hero Sachish finds himself caught between two women, an abandoned mistress and a widow. However, the film deals with themes of religion, chastity, 20th-century morality female sexuality.
Rituparna Sengupta(Damini) Subrat Dutta(Shachish) Joy Sengupta(Shribilash) Kabir Suman(Lilananda) |
Chaturanga Movie Scene:
5. Ghare Baire– The Home and The World(1984)
Ghare Baire poster by Satyajit Ray
Based upon the 1916 novel Ghare Baire by Rabindranath Tagore, the film is a 1984 Bengali romantic drama film. However, the film directed by The legendary Satyajit Ray.
Starring Soumitra Chatterjee, Victor Banerjee, and Jennifer Kendal in the lead roles, the story is set in the aftermath of the partition of Bengal in 1905.
Soumitra Chatterjee and Swatilekha Sengupta from Ghare Baire
Theme:
The Ghare Baire Film sets against the backdrop of Bengal’s tragic partition. However, it is all about the love triangle of Nikhilesh, his wife Bimala, and his friend Sandip.
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In this movie, Ray tackles the issue of the emancipation of women. In addition, political themes make the film a must-watch even to this date.
Victor Banerjee(Nikhilesh) Swatilekha Sengupta(Bimala) Gopa Aich(sister-in-law) Jennifer Kendal(Miss Gilby as Jennifer Kapoor) | Best Supporting Actor-Biswajit dutt(32nd National Film Awards) Best Costume Design(32nd National Film Awards) Nominated-Best Foreign Language Film-The U.S. National Board of Review of Motion Pictures(1985) |
6. Noukadubi– Boat Wreck(2011)
Cover Noukadubi
Noukadubi is a 2011 Bengali Film directed by Rituparno Ghosh. However, the film is based on a 1906 novel by Our beloved Kobiguru Rabindranath Tagore.
‘Noukadubi’ is a Bengali film about mistaken identities and serendipity. However, with Prosenjit Chatterjee and Jisshu Sengupta in lead roles, Noukadubi critically acclaimed upon release. It was also released in Hindi by producer Subhash Ghai with the title Kashmakash.
Prosenjit Chatterjee and Raima Sen in Naukadubi
In this story, a man who brings home a woman who he thinks is his newly-wed wife. After that, soon he realizes that the woman he has brought along with him is not his wife but a lookalike.
Yeah! confusion, right? That’s why you must see the movie based on Rabindranath Tagore’s work.
Theme:
The story of ‘Noukadubi’ deals with a case of mistaken identity and ensuing choices. However, the plot narrates how it affects the lives of a number of people. In addition, Director Rituparno Ghosh is a master of building films around human relationships and he does very well yet again with this masterclass Tagore novel.
Jisshu Sengupta(Rameshchandra) Raima Sen(Hemnalini) Riya Sen(Sushila/Kamala) Dhritiman Chatterjee(Annodababu) Laboni Sarkar(Sushila's Mother) |
Noukadubi Movie Trailer:
7. Stories by Rabindranath Tagore(2015)
Cover Stories of Rabindranath Tagore
‘Stories by Rabindranath Tagore’ is a 2015 Indian Hindi TV series based on Rabindranath Tagore’s work, that aired on the EPIC channel. However, it is directed by Anurag Basu. In other words, this is not a movie, it is a total of 20 Rabindranath Tagore stories.
The Rabindranath Thakur stories adapted to the small screen by director Anurag Basu. However, he picked different stories like Chokher Bali, Charulata, Kabuliwala, Samapti, Chhuti, etc, and devoted two or three episodes to each novel. But the short stories narrated in a single episode.
However, now on the Netflix video streaming platform, you can easily watch the Stories of Rabindranath Tagore.
Episodes: Total of 20 stories and 26 episodes.
Hoichoi |
Stories of Rabindranath Tagore Chokher Bali Promo:
In Conclusion, I’d like to hear from you guys!
Did I miss anything?
Let me know by leaving a comment below right now!
Rabindranath Tagore’s work is always been my personal favorite. However, which one movie you loved the most from the list? Mine is Chokher Bali. Comment yours!
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