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Ankur
Ankur
8.5
/10
2,313 Ratings

ANKUR

अंकुर | The Seedling

Directed by Shyam Benegal
India, 1974
Drama

Synopsis

In Shyam Benegal’s stunning first narrative feature, the ne’er-do-well son of an absentee landlord is dispatched to oversee his father’s land, whereupon he takes as his mistress the poor housekeeper Lakshmi, igniting a series of devastating complications.

Synopsis

In Shyam Benegal’s stunning first narrative feature, the ne’er-do-well son of an absentee landlord is dispatched to oversee his father’s land, whereupon he takes as his mistress the poor housekeeper Lakshmi, igniting a series of devastating complications.

Our take

Set amidst a complex mesh of feudal power structures and gender oppression, Shyam Benegal’s directorial debut Ankur is a powerful film about the caste system and agency of women. This film also marks the debut of the powerhouse actress of Indian parallel cinema, Shabana Azmi.