5 Old Hindi Films Adapted from Bengali Movies

As a connoisseur of Bengali movies, I have been investing some of my time in exploring old films. I have perhaps watched these films earlier, but as a carrier of a Ghajini-like memory, I did not remember a few of these films. So what I have found out was remarkable, actually. There are many popular Hindi movies that have been adapted later from these Bengali movies. Today, I have enlisted 5 such popular films, despite the list being much longer than that. 

1. Padosan from Pasher Bari: This was a big surprise for me, actually. As I always crawled back to watching this 1968 classic, Sunil Dutt-Kishore Kumar-Mehmood-Saira Banu wonder whenever I felt bored, earlier. Who can forget those iconic songs of Kishore Kumar and Manna Dey and the incredible performances of all the actors? It was indeed a laugh riot. But you know what I discovered? Directed by Jyoti Swarup, it was an adaptation of a 1952 Bengali film, Pasher Bari, starring Sabitri Chatterji, Anup Kumar, Bhanu Bandopadhyay and very surprisingly Satya Bandopadhyay, as the lead actor (Sunil Dutt's character). I have always found the actor playing character roles, of again characters, and never knew he had acted as a hero. I have not watched the film yet, but it is available on YouTube. The Bengali movie was based on a short story by Arun Chowdhury.

2. Chupke Chupke from Chadmabeshi: The 1975 film Chupke Chupke, directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, is regarded as one of the best clean comedies in Hindi cinema. It stars Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan, Sharmila Tagore, Jaya Bhaduri, and Om Prakash in prominent roles. The film is well-known for the playful cat-and-mouse games between the characters and features delightful music by S.D. Burman. The original Bengali film, Chadmabeshi, was released in 1971 and directed by Agradoot. It featured iconic Bengali stars such as Uttam Kumar, Madhabi Mukherjee, Subhendu Chattopadhyay, and Bikash Roy. The songs from the Bengali film were as popular as those in the Hindi adaptation, which later became widely celebrated.

3. Bawarchi from Galpo Holeo Sotti: Bawarchi is a 1972 film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, featuring the superstar Rajesh Khanna. Interestingly, Khanna, known for his romantic roles and glamorous persona, steps away from that image to portray a mysterious cook who enters a dysfunctional family to help mend their relationships. The film is adapted from the 1966 Bengali movie Galpo Holeo Sotti, directed by Tapan Sinha, which also starred a well-known actor-comedian, Robi Ghosh,  in the lead role.

4. Manzil from Akash Kusum: Directed by Basu Chatterji, Manzil is a 1979 film that stars Amitabh Bachchan and Mousumi Chatterji in lead roles. The famous song 'Rimjhim Gire Sawan,' sung by Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar, is still regarded as one of the best rain songs of all time. The original version of the film, Akash Kusum, was released in Bengali in 1965 and featured Soumitra Chatterji, Aparna Sen, and Shubhendu Chatterji as the main characters. Directed by Mrinal Sen, this film is considered a path-breaking work in Bengali cinema.

5. Jeevan Mrityu from Jiban Mrityu: Jeevan Mrityu, directed by Satyen Bose, is a revenge thriller that was released in 1970. The film stars Dharmendra and Rakhee in leading roles. The storyline is intriguing, revolving around an honest man who becomes entangled in corrupt office politics and ends up in jail. The music from the film also enjoyed significant popularity at the time. This film is actually a remake of the original Bengali version, Jiban Mrityu, directed by Hiren Nag, which was released in 1967 and featured stars like Uttam Kumar and Supriya Devi in the lead roles.