Chhabi Biswas

Chhabi Biswas had appeared in more than 250 films during a span of 25 years delivering some memorable performances.

Chhabi Biswas – the inimitable, the indomitable - was perhaps the first international actor of Indian cinema. An actor for whom no laurel can be worth enough!

Mithun Chakraborty who is set to play 'Kabuliwala' in Suman Ghosh's upcoming film insists that this film will have no similarities with Tapan Sinha's 1957 film which saw Chhabi Biswas playing the titular role. Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘Kabuliwala’ is a story which every Bengali can relate to.

Did you know these legends were never feted?

The viewers of the heyday considered Tulsi Chakraborty a good old comedian. The people he worked with knew him as a jolly good man who was poorly paid as an actor. But the picture was different in the eyes of Chhabi Biswas, in the eyes of Satyajit Ray. They saw beyond – that the commonplace missed.

Tulsi Chakraborty was a gem of an artist. The fact that he was humble, good-natured and hardly demanded money only adds more respect to this man.

After winning hearts in 'projapati' Mithun Chakraborty is all set for his next Bengali film. The film will be directed by Suman Ghosh and is based on Rabindranath Tagore’s famous short story 'Kabuliwala'. Previously, Chhabi Biswas played the same role in Tapan Sinha's 1957 Bengali film.

Renowned director Arindam Sil, who has only just returned from Mussoorie, revealed that he wants to see a biopic made on the life of legendary actor Chhabi Biswas.

Think ���������Jalsaghar��������� . Think Chhabi Biswas. The arrogance and sense of pride are what Prosenjit Chatterjee is trying to imbibe while playing a modern-day Chhabi Biswas in ���������22 E Srabon���������

The original ‘Pather Panchali’ poster in English, the nagras that Chhabi Biswas wore in ‘Jalsaghar’ and the original lobby cards from ‘Kanchenjunga’ designed by Satyajit Ray are among the 200 artefacts on display at a forthcoming exhibition on the legend’s centenary.

‘Kanchenjungha’ is set in the hilly areas and revolves around the 20th-century problems in a pristine location.

One of Satyajit Ray’s finest works, ‘Kanchenjunga’ (1962) happens to be the first coloured Bengali film and is also regarded as the first Indian anthology film. People who are familiar with Ray's Apu Trilogy will find it hard to digest the fact that the same Ray is the director of this film.

Starring Uttam Kumar and Sabitri Chatterjee in the lead, the romantic drama had an ensemble cast.

Though the film itself was apparently nothing to write home about, you can’t deny the historical value associated with it, especially after the iconic director’s demise.

Mrinal Sen's first directorial ‘Raat Bhor’ was released in 1955. But did you know Uttam Kumar made his debut in this Mrinal Sen film?

Over a century after Rabindranath Tagore penned ‘Kabuliwala’ in 1892, Afghans in the city are displaying the generosity immortalised in the short story. Realizing that everyone’s reeling under severe cash crunch, Kabuliwalas engaged in money-lending business have waived the interest for two months and extended the loan term so that customers can tide over the crisis.

What follows is an unforgettably comic squabble between the two comedy kings - Bhanu and Tulsi.

In the recent past, few Bengali classics have been restored to a digital format to save the history of Bengali cinema.