Two bighas of land)[a] is a 1953 Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Bimal Roy.

Based on Rabindranath Tagore's Bengali poem "Dui Bigha Jomi" and Rickshawalla, a short story written by composer Salil Chowdhury, the film stars Balraj Sahni and Nirupa Roy in lead roles.

Known for its socialist theme, Do Bigha Zamin is considered an important film in the early parallel cinema of India, and a trend setter.

[1] Inspired by Italian neo-realistic cinema, Bimal Roy made Do Bigha Zamin after watching Vittorio De Sica's Bicycle Thieves (1948).

[6] The story revolves around a farmer, Shambhu Maheto, who lives with his wife Parvati, son Kanhaiya and father Gangu in a small village that is hit by drought.

The local landlord Thakur Harnam Singh partners with some businessmen to construct a mill on his large parcel of land, which in return, he opines, would bring them profit and prosperity to the village.

Angered by the refusal, Harnam Singh orders him to repay his debt by the next day or risk the auctioning of his land.

Shambu wants to save his land by all means and sells all his household items, including his wife's gold earrings.

One of his friends gives him an idea to go to Calcutta (now Kolkata) and try to get a job to earn enough money to pay off his debt.

Kanhaiya falls ill and Shambhu ends up renting a small room in the slums with the help of a tea vendor and the landlady's adopted grandchild, Rani.

Back in the village, Parvati and Gangu survive on eating water chestnuts picked from the local river.

She ends up working at a local construction site and is devastated when she receives news of Shambhu's accident.

Finally, Parvati decides to visit Shambhu in the city even though Gangu is bedridden and has a high fever.

Meanwhile, Kanhaiya, unable to withstand his father's condition, steals money from a lady and runs back to the slum.

[10] His wife, Manobina Roy, recalled her excited husband instructing his unit to come up with a story right after the screening.

It revolved around a farmer who desperately pounds the streets of Kolkata to earn the Rs 235 needed to save his two acres of land, only to lose it to the industrialisation.

[12] Actress Nirupa Roy had mostly done the role of Hindu goddess in several mythological films till that time.

"[11] The films title is derived from a famous poem by Rabindranath Tagore, called "Dui Bigha Jomi".

In an interview with All India Radio, Chowdhury described the tune for "Apni Kahani Chod Ja – Dharti kahe pukaar ke" having been inspired by a Red Army march song as well as influenced by Bhairavi (hence the added stanza and Aalap at the beginning of the song), thus giving it a Komal Gandhara (Ga) lilt to make it softer.