Palabi Kothay

Palabi Kothay (Bengali: পালাবি কোথায়) is a Bangladeshi feminist comedy film released in 1997. It is a finest example of Bangladeshi women-oriented film.^[1] Humayun Faridi produced the film. The film is one of flop films in Bangladesh.^[2] The film is a remake of Kamal Haasan's own Tamil hit, Magalir Mattum which itself was a remake of the 1980 American film 9 to 5.

Plot[]

Shirin is a middle class girl. She could not get married because people want dowry and she is not willing to marry with dowry. Shirin works as a typist and manager's PS in a garment factory. Noori is a cleaner worker of that factory. Her unemployed husband Bachchu often steal his wives' money. He drinks alcohol with the stolen money. The married garment factory manager is a naughty person. He sexually harassed women workers and workers in various ways. Women defend themselves from him in various ways. The computer department was opened in the office. A protesting woman named Mili Chowdhury joined the organization from the head office as a new computer operator. Shirin thinks that with the introduction of computer system, typists will no longer be needed. So she was sad inside. But soon Shirin became friends with Mili. Nargis, the factory supervisor, is a woman with a bad character who always torture workers. Mili left her husband and children in Chittagong and came to Dhaka with the permission of her mother-in-law, living working women's hostel. Nargis hides an emergency file to endanger Shirin. But the file was recovered because of Noori and Mili. Mili organized the women workers of the factory. She was able to convince everyone that women have to stand by the side of women. Women move forward in cooperation with each other. They gather courage with Mili's inspiration. She baptized them in the sake of gender equality. The manager tells Shirin to stay on the excuse of work even after one day of office holiday. When she was alone, he attacked her. But Noori and Mili come forward with the help of Shirin. All the women chased the manager with bamboo sticks and grabbed him. In this way the lustful manager gets appropriate punishment.

Cast[]

• Shabana as Mili Chowdhury^[3]
• Suborna Mustafa as Shirin^[4]
• Champa as Noorie^[5]
• Humayun Faridi as Mr. Hawlader^[6]
• Afzal Hossain as Managing Director (guest appearance)^[7]
• Ali Raj as Bachchu
• Khaleda Aktar Kolpona as Shirin's mother
• Khairul Islam Pakhi as Shirin's brother
• Sharmin as Salma, wife of Mr. Hawlader
• Nasir Khan as Lallu Khan
• Abdul Karim as Old man in slum
• Sharbari Dasgupta
• Jacky Alamgir
• Sitara Begum
• Mozid Bongobasi
• Rasheda Chowdhury
• Alka Sarkar

Production[]

Humayun Faridi was the main producer of the film. Shahidul Islam Khokon was filmmaker and director. He had to sell his residential house situated in Uttara for this film^[8]

Reception[]

Palabi Kothay shows a strong advocate for women's rights in a simple way. The film was well received by the audience after its release. It also garnered critical acclaim for its speeches and performances.^[7]

Music[]

Awards[]

References[]

External links[]

• Palabi Kothay at IMDb