“Ankur” is a 1974 Indian film directed by Shyam Benegal. The movie stars Shabana Azmi, Anant Nag, and Sadhu Meher in the lead roles.
The film is set in a rural Indian village and tells the story of Laxmi (Shabana Azmi), a young woman who is married to a deaf-mute laborer named Kishtaya (Sadhu Meher). Laxmi is unhappy in her marriage and begins a relationship with a college-educated man named Surya (Anant Nag), who comes to the village to work on a research project. However, their relationship is discovered by the village elders, who condemn them for breaking social norms.
The film explores themes of class, gender, and power dynamics in rural India, and it is widely regarded as a milestone in Indian parallel cinema. “Ankur” was Benegal's directorial debut and is considered to be one of his most important films. The movie received critical acclaim and won several awards, including the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi. It is noted for its realistic portrayal of rural life and its nuanced characters, as well as for its use of naturalistic lighting and sound design.
| Directed by | Shyam Benegal |
|---|---|
| Produced by | Lalit M. Bijlani, Freni Variava; Blaze Film Enterprises |
| Written by | Shyam Benegal (Screenplay) Satyadev Dubey (Dialogue) |
| Starring | Ananth Nag Shabana Azmi Sadhu Meher Priya Tendulkar Kader Ali Beg Dalip Tahil |
| Music by | Vanraj Bhatia |
| Cinematography | Govind Nihalani Kamath Ghanekar |
| Release date | 1974 |
| Running time | 125 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Dakhani |