Do Bigha Zamin

Do Bigha Zamin (transl. 1.5 acres of land) is a 1953 Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Bimal Roy. Based on Rabindranath Tagore's Bengali poem "Dui Bigha Jomi", the film stars Balraj Sahni and Nirupa Roy in lead roles. Known for its socialist theme, Do Bigha Zamin is considered an important film in the early parallel cinema of India, and a trend setter.

Do Bigha Zamin
Film poster
Directed byBimal Roy
Written byPaul Mahendra
Screenplay byHrishikesh Mukherjee
Story bySalil Chowdhury (adaptation)
Rabindranath Tagore (Original)
Based on"Dui Bigha Jomi"
by Rabindranath Tagore
Produced byBimal Roy
StarringBalraj Sahni
Nirupa Roy
Meena Kumari
CinematographyKamal Bose
Edited byHrishikesh Mukherjee
Music bySalil Chowdhury
Production
company
Bimal Roy Productions
Distributed byBimal Roy Productions
Release date
  • 16 January 1953 (1953-01-16)
Running time
120 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi
Box office₹70 lakh (equivalent to ₹74 crore or US$9.3 million in 2023)

Inspired by Italian neo-realistic cinema, Bimal Roy made Do Bigha Zamin after watching Vittorio De Sica's Bicycle Thieves (1948). Like most of Bimal Roy's movies, art and commercial cinema merge to create a movie that is still viewed as a benchmark. It has paved the way for future cinema makers in the Indian neo-realist movement and the Indian New Wave, which began in the 1950s.

A moderate commercial success, it was awarded the All India Certificate of Merit for Best Feature Film, it became the first film to win the Filmfare Best Movie Award and the first Indian film to win the International Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, after Neecha Nagar (1946), which won the Palme d'Or (Grand Prize). It was also winner of the Social Progress Award at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. In 2005, Indiatimes Movies ranked the movie amongst the Top 25 Must See Bollywood Films. The film was also released in China and in USSR.

The film also marks Meena Kumari's maiden guest appearance in her 33-year-long career. The lullaby, Aa Jaa Ri Aa is picturised on her.

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