The Cart (The Gaariwala)

This is the story of the indomitable dream of two young brothers, Habil and Kabil, and their car that has never been defeated.

Their mother works at a rice mill despite severe illness, while father is a rickshaw-puller, who has been missing for 2 years.

They wander about the village whole day and even with their mother’s disagreement, race ‘bearing cars' at the field; but they do not own such car.

One day, they sell Water Lily to buy old bearings, make their own car and win the race.

They start to sell Water Lily in the city regularly and Habil discovered their father with his new family.

One stormy night, they find their mother half-dead and rush her to the hospital in the forbidden car.

Fearing their increased suffering, Habil keeps father’s reality a secret. ‘Gaariwala’ is the story of the indomitable dream of two young brothers, Habil and Kabil, and their incredible journey in life.

The story of human spirit, sufferings and simple joy.

The film begins with ten-year-old Habil and seven-year-old Kabil attending to each other’s wounds that they endured when their mother Jamila beat them up with the branch of a coral-tree.

As the juice burned, the sufferings brought back the affectionate memories of their father Shamsher, who had been missing for the last two years.

They fondly remember how he would give rides on his rickshaw before going to the city to earn a living as rickshaw-puller.

They soon forget the misery and decide to go to the Field for the daily ‘Bearing Car’ race.

After eating with gratitude the food that Jamila had left for them, they head for the field on their pretend cars.

The popular ‘Bearing Car’ of the village is made with a wooden plank.

A total of three bearing wheels of rickshaw are attached to it – one in the front and two in the back.

The front wheel also has a steering or a wooden handle affixed to it.

It is customary to take turns for riding and pushing.

Habil and Kabil do not have such car.

Therefore, they get a chance to ride one for a while only when they push one to victory but often get taken advantage of.

By mid-day that day, both of them get hungry.

The brothers see a marsh filled with Water Lily.

Habil collects a bunch of Water Lily.

The two brothers gobbled those up raw.

However, Saber Ali, who wants to sell those at the market, gets upset.

The two flee the scene promptly.

Jamila comes back in the evening.

By then the two brothers pretend to be asleep.

Ailing Jamila has been the victim of ill-intentions of men in the absence of her husband.

She also suffers from frequent chest pain but forgets about her ordeals at the sight of her loving kids.

The next day, the brothers participate in the race again, but none of them wins.

Therefore, they do not get a ride.

Tired and disappointed, they head for home but Habil proclaims that they too would soon become the owners of a bearing car! Kabil looks up to Habil and believes that he is capable of achieving miracles; but could not figure out how that would be possible! The next morning, smart Habil goes to the rural market with more Water Lilies to generate income.

Later, they get three bearings from Chikat, who owns a repair store for cycles and rickshaws.

They make an initial payment for used bearing and promise to pay the rest later.

Even after getting caught and punished by Jamila once more, Habil manages to complete the seemingly impossible task of making the bearing car in two days! At the next race, Habil and Kabil win.

The whole day was euphoric until it was almost evening.

Chikat comes to their home in search of Jamila.

He was caught off guard with their presence but quickly leaves, reminding them of the money they owed. The next market day, Habil fills up the car with a load of Lily and sells the lot for a much higher profit at the Town-market.

They pay Chikat off.

On a similar day, while in the city, Habil suddenly sees a rickshaw and soon follows it to a slum, peeks through and sees a woman nursing a baby.

That rickshaw-puller picks up the baby and claims to be the ‘father’.

Habil’s childhood memories come back to him.

He wipes his eyes and goes back to Kabil.

By the time they reach home, a huge thunderstorm was about to strike.

They find Jamila in bed unresponsive! After much attempt, she regains consciousness but turns blue in agony.

She could not reveal the cause of the signs of torture on her body.

She is bleeding profusely.

At the next lightning, Habil sees her condition and makes an instant decision.

He quickly springs to action, gets his bearing car out, and has Jamila sit in it.

The only hope to save her was to take her to the general hospital.

The car, for which Jamila had been upset, became the only mode of transportation and she had no other way but to give in! Habil and Kabil were willing to endure all pain to get their mother to safety.

Habil, however, endured much more, which he probably would never be able to share with Jamila or Kabil.

He had witnessed and realized that their father had abandoned them for another woman and has a newborn baby of his own.

Habil transforms overnight into a responsible mature man!