Ankur: first feature film directed by Shyam Benegal, in Hyderabad

From the archive record

Ankur was the first feature film directed by Shyam Benegal and the debut film of Shabana Azmi and Anant Nag. The film was shot in Hyderabad and it is based on a true story that occurred in Hyderabad in the 1950s. Ankur, the film features a lovely single take shot of a woman running through her house, to a window, and out into the front yard, to rouse her husband. There is quite a period look and feel of the film. Don't you love the bhonpu horn in the vintage car? In 1974, a low budget Hindi film created quite a reputation in the world of Indian Cinema. At a time when the notion of good cinema was primarily associated with regional language films, this sensitive portrayal of rural exploitation became a critical and commercial success. Ankur, the first feature film by Shyam Benegal went on t