Filmbar screening of Shyam Benegal's "Ankur" (1974) at RPC on Friday, January 31, 2025 at 5:00 pm sharp

Filmbar screening of Shyam Benegal's "Ankur" (1974) at the Research and Publication Centre (RPC), on Friday, January 31, 2025 at 5:00 pm sharp.

In a small Indian village, a destitute woman's barren, alcoholic husband absconds after stealing toddy. Alone to fend for herself, she ends up relying on the affections of her landlord's to-be-married son who recently returned to look after the estate.

This screening is a tribute to Shyam Benegal, a giant of Indian parallel cinema who passed away last month. He was known for being a bold storyteller and brutally honest about social issues. He never cared about commercial success and made extraordinary films about ordinary people and their everyday lives. He had a crucial role in launching the careers of many arthouse greats like Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri and Shabana Azmi. "Ankur"  was his debut film and a wonderful critique of the caste system, an evil that haunts us to this day.

Join us in celebrating the legacy.

Address: Research and Publication Centre (RPC), 2nd Floor, 65 Main Boulevard Gulberg, Lahore (next to Standard Chartered Bank, above Indesign showroom).

The screening will be followed by an informal discussion. All are welcome. Tea will be served.

Rashed Rahman

Editor, Pakistan Monthly Review (PMR) (link: pakistanmonthlyreview.com)

Director, Research and Publication Centre (RPC) (on Facebook)