Cinema
Two Acres of Land
दो बीघा ज़मीन
Bimal Roy · 1953
Synopsis
After three years of drought, the rain finally returns to the village of Shambhu Mahato, who can plough his two bighas of land. But the landowner Harnam Singh wants to build a factory there and demands repayment of an old debt, which his steward has inflated. The court gives Shambhu a few months to pay. He leaves with his son for Calcutta, where he becomes a rickshaw puller and the boy a shoeshine boy.
Context
The director made it after seeing Bicycle Thieves, from a story by the composer Salil Chowdhury and a poem by Tagore whose title it keeps; Hrishikesh Mukherjee wrote the screenplay and edited it, Kamal Bose filmed it. To prepare for his role, Balraj Sahni pulled a rickshaw through the streets of Calcutta; Nirupa Roy acted without make-up. The film was released on 16 January 1953.
Who it is for
Two hours in Hindi, with no French release; few songs, in a realism that was unusual at the time.
Prizes and reception
International Prize (ex aequo) at the 1954 Cannes Film Festival, also awarded at Karlovy Vary; best film and best director at the 1954 Filmfare Awards.
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