| Director | Sangeeta |
|---|---|
| Writer | Iqbal Rizvi |
| Screenplay | Rajinder Singh Bedi |
| Story | Rajinder Singh Bedi |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Azhar Burki |
| Editing | Z.A. Zulfi |
| Music | Kamal Ahmed |
| Released | 16 June 1978 |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Language | Urdu |
Mutthi Bhar Chawal (A Fistful of Rice) is a 1978 Pakistani classical Urdu film based on Rajinder Singh Bedi's novel Ek Chaadar Maili Si.[1] Directed by Sangeeta, with musical composition by Kamal Ahmed, it features Sangeeta, Nadeem Baig, Kaveeta, Shehla Gill, Rahat Kazmi, and Ghulam Mohiuddin in lead roles. It is one of the greatest hits of Sangeeta and debut film of Syed Noor as a screenwriter.[2]
The film is about rural life in Pakistan and a family's struggle to survive after the head of the household dies and his wife is widowed.[3] It is one of the Pakistani films with the maximum number of awards won, including six Nigar Awards.[4] It made the list of the 10 best Pakistani cinema films created by a well known Pakistani film critic and published by BBC Urdu.[5]
Plot
A Sikh woman Rani/Rano lives in East Punjab with her in-laws. When Rano suddenly becomes widowed after her husband dies in a horse and carriage accident, she struggles to raise her children. Her in-laws come with a marriage proposal and forcibly ask her to marry Rano's brother-in-law Mangal who is in love with a vegetable seller's daughter, Lajjo and is much younger than her and who always saw her as a sister-in-law.[4]
Cast
- Nadeem Baig as Mangal
- Shehla Gill as Rano's daughter
- Sangeeta as Rano
- Ghulam Mohiuddin as Ghulam Mohi-Vo-Din
- Kaveeta as Lajjo
- Rahat Kazmi
Production
The film was shot at Bari Studios and Evernew Studio of Lahore.[6]
Legacy
Actor Rahat Kazmi named Mutthi Bhar Chawal as his favourite film.[7] In 2020, the film was included among BBC Urdu's "Ten best films of Pakistani cinema", selected by critic Aijaz Gul.[8]
Remake
The film was remade as a television series with same title, directed by Sangeeta and aired in 2008.[9]
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Awardee | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Nigar Awards | Best film | Mutthi Bhar Chawal | Mutthi Bhar Chawal | rowspan="6" | [4][10] |
| Best Director | Sangeeta | |||||
| Best Actress | Sangeeta | |||||
| Best Editing | Z.A. Zulfi | |||||
| Best Supporting Actress | Shehla Gill | |||||
| Best Special Performance | Ghulam Mohiuddin |
References
- ^ "Remembering Rajinder Singh Bedi". Jammu Kashmir Latest News | Tourism | Breaking News J&K. 2017-09-02. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
- ^ Ali, Mohammad (2016-11-24). "Lok Virsa To Screen Film Mutthi Bhar Chawal On Nov 26". UrduPoint. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
- ^ Hayward, S. (2002). Cinema Studies: The Key Concepts. Routledge Key Guides. Taylor & Francis. p. 426. ISBN 978-1-134-58790-2. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
- ^ Gul, Aijaz (2016-11-24). "Mandwa to screen 'Muthi Bhar Chawal' on 26th - Islamabad". The News International. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
- ^ "فلمی نقاد اعجاز گُل کی منتخب کردہ دس بہترین پاکستانی فلمیں" (in Urdu). BBC News اردو. 2020-09-05. Retrieved 2023-01-19.
- ^ Esha Niyogi De. Women's Transborder Cinema. University of Illinois Press. pp. 90–94. ISBN 9780252047473.
- ^ "dunya.com.pk/index.php/dunya-headline/524396_1". Roznama Dunya. 22 December 2019. Archived 23 December 2019 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "www.bbc.com/urdu/entertainment-54011042" (in Urdu). BBC. 5 September 2020. Archived 19 January 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
- ^ "www.urdupoint.com/daily/livenews/2007-08-05/news-39123.html" (in Urdu). 5 August 2007. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
- ^ Swami ji (24 November 2017). "Pakistan's "Oscars"; The Nigar Awards". Hot Spot Film Reviews website. Archived 13 June 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
External links
- Mutthi Bhar Chawal at IMDb