Cinema
The Seedling
अंकुर
Shyam Benegal · 1974
Synopsis
In a feudal village of Andhra, near Hyderabad, Lakshmi, a Dalit woman, lives with her husband Kishtayya, a deaf and mute potter, out of work and fond of drink. The village landowner sends his son Surya, just married, to manage his lands; Surya, who is waiting for his still-childlike wife to join him, takes the couple into his service. Alone, idle and arrogant, he lets himself be drawn to Lakshmi, while the village watches and the caste order weighs on everyone.
Context
The director's first feature film, it was shot after many delays, in Dakhani, with dialogue by Satyadev Dubey, cinematography by Govind Nihalani and music by Vanraj Bhatia. Shabana Azmi, just graduated from a film school, made her debut in it, as did Anant Nag. Released on 24 September 1974, it opened a rural trilogy and received forty-three awards in India and abroad.
Who it is for
Two hours in Dakhani, with no French release; none of the characters in it is entirely innocent.
Prizes and reception
Selected in competition at Berlin in 1974; three national awards, including best actress and best actor; regarded as the birth of parallel cinema.
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