BIRAJ BAHU

Original Russian 11 3/4 inch x 16 1/2 inch Poster for the 1956 Bimal Roy Indian Drama BIRAJ BAHU, based on the novel by Saratchandra Chatterjee and starring Kamini Kaushal, Abhi Bhattacharya, Shakuntala, Pran, Randhir, Bikram Kapoor, Manorama, Kammo, Baby Chand, Iftikhar, Moni Chatterjee and Ravikant.

The film’s narrative pivot is the beautiful Biraj (Kaushal) who is committed to the happiness of her husband Nilambar (Bhattacharya). Left in poverty by the callousness of Nilambar’s brother Pitambar and to meet the cost of his sister Punnu’s marriage, Biraj slaves away earning money making and selling dolls until an amorous young zamindar starts paying attention to her. Then, her commitment to her family yields to cynicism about the attitudes of all men towards women, including those of her husband. Edited by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and with Asit Sen as assistant director, this film continued Parineeta’s (1953) effort to transplant themes from Bengali reform literature into the Hindi cinema, influencing the later films of Mukherjee and Sen.

Poster art by Klementyeva

The poster is in very good folded condition.