Aparna Sen passed on Shyam Benegal's Ankur; led to National Award for Shabana Azmi
Aparna Sen revealed why she declined the iconic film Ankur. The film remains a landmark in Indian parallel cinema, highlighting social issues and launching Shabana Azmi's celebrated career.
Sometimes, the roles actors turn down go on to become cinematic history. For actor-director Aparna Sen, that ‘what if’ moment is tied to Ankur – the film that not only marked Shyam Benegal’s directorial debut but also launched Shabana Azmi into stardom, bagging her her first National Film Award.
In a recent appearance on Straight Up With Shree, Aparna Sen opened up about why she chose to walk away from the now-iconic film.
Sen revealed that at the time, her Hindi film career had not taken off as expected. She was not particularly inclined towards becoming a mainstream Hindi film heroine, despite the financial appeal of the offer. What further complicated her decision was the linguistic demand of the role, which required speaking Hindi infused with a Telugu dialect.
“I loved the story,” she shared, “but I felt unsure about convincingly portraying a household help speaking in a dialect so far removed from my own.”
Interestingly, Ankur came to Sen after Benegal had already faced multiple rejections. Despite being a newcomer himself, the filmmaker accepted her decision without pressing for an explanation.
That decision ultimately paved the way for Shabana Azmi, whose portrayal of Laxmi remains one of the most powerful performances in Indian cinema. Playing a domestic worker entangled in a complex relationship with a landlord, Azmi brought remarkable depth and vulnerability to the role. Her performance not only won her the National Award for Best Actress but also firmly established her as a force in the parallel cinema movement.
Beyond its performances, Ankur stood out for its unflinching portrayal of caste, class, and gender dynamics in a conservative rural setting. The film became a cornerstone of 1970s parallel cinema, reflecting Benegal’s commitment to realism and socially conscious storytelling.
Over the years, Aparna Sen and Shabana Azmi went on to share a warm professional and personal rapport. They collaborated on projects such as Sati (1989), directed by Sen, and the 2017 drama Sonata, where both appeared on screen.
Sometimes, the roles actors turn down go on to become cinematic history. For actor-director Aparna Sen, that ‘what if’ moment is tied to Ankur – the film that not only marked Shyam Benegal’s directorial debut but also launched Shabana Azmi into stardom, bagging her her first National Film Award.
In a recent appearance on Straight Up With Shree, Aparna Sen opened up about why she chose to walk away from the now-iconic film.
Sen revealed that at the time, her Hindi film career had not taken off as expected. She was not particularly inclined towards becoming a mainstream Hindi film heroine, despite the financial appeal of the offer. What further complicated her decision was the linguistic demand of the role, which required speaking Hindi infused with a Telugu dialect.
“I loved the story,” she shared, “but I felt unsure about convincingly portraying a household help speaking in a dialect so far removed from my own.”
Interestingly, Ankur came to Sen after Benegal had already faced multiple rejections. Despite being a newcomer himself, the filmmaker accepted her decision without pressing for an explanation.
That decision ultimately paved the way for Shabana Azmi, whose portrayal of Laxmi remains one of the most powerful performances in Indian cinema. Playing a domestic worker entangled in a complex relationship with a landlord, Azmi brought remarkable depth and vulnerability to the role. Her performance not only won her the National Award for Best Actress but also firmly established her as a force in the parallel cinema movement.
Beyond its performances, Ankur stood out for its unflinching portrayal of caste, class, and gender dynamics in a conservative rural setting. The film became a cornerstone of 1970s parallel cinema, reflecting Benegal’s commitment to realism and socially conscious storytelling.
Over the years, Aparna Sen and Shabana Azmi went on to share a warm professional and personal rapport. They collaborated on projects such as Sati (1989), directed by Sen, and the 2017 drama Sonata, where both appeared on screen.
