Rahamat in Kabuliwallah is a huge Afghan who can commit murder if provoked, but in his soul he is as pure as the girl Minnie, who reminds him of his own daughter in his distant homeland. This gentle giant from the land of deserts and hills, too free in spirit, doesn't understand law and order in the land of little men, doesn't speak their language, and can only suffer mutely as he finds his freedom curbed.

The hero of Ek Doctor Ki Maut, the outstanding scientist Dr Dipankar Roy, is hounded and crushed by his colleagues simply because he is better than them. The rape and/or molestation of upright women features in at least four movies. Tetra in Aaj Ka Robin Hood suffers because he dared to stand up against the cruel landlord. The cruel landlord persona is Banchharam's oppressor, too.

These characters do not seem to me too different from the white elephant, who is persecuted simply because it is rare. Which is not to say that he has no variety. Kshudhita Pashan, Hatey Bazare, Jotugriha, Nirjan Saikatey and many other accomplished films have less elemental, more 'adult' subjects, and do not conform to any pattern that I can discover. Golpo Holo Sotti and Tonsil are fine comedies.

But my own dominant experience of his work concerns his outstanding-individual-baited-by-jealous-oppressors theme. I have a gut feeling that these are the works the future shall remember him by.

To judge a director's technical excellence is beyond my ability. As I said before, I have no great understanding of camera angles, montages and such like. But whenever I have sat down to watch one of Tapan Sinha's films, I have expected an uplifting story neatly and skillfully told. I am yet to be disappointed. They just don't make directors like that any more.

Also Read: Remembering Smita Patil

In the picture: A still from Bimal Roy's Kabuliwala

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