Shabana Azmi celebrates 49 years of ‘Nishant’, shares her views on OTT trend

Mumbai, Sep 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) As veteran actress Shabana Azmi celebrated the 49th anniversary of her film ‘Nishant’, she reflected on the impact of the film and criticised the current trends in the film industry.

Azmi praised director Shyam Benegal for his role in launching newcomers to fame through the film, contrasting this with the current focus of OTT platforms on established stars and directors.

On Thursday, Shabana Azmi shared the poster of ‘Nishant’ on Instagram and noted, “49 years since Nishant released. The film, the second after Ankur, firmly established Shyam Benegal as a leading figure in what is known as parallel cinema. Shyam gave a chance to newcomers and established them as stars. Unfortunately, OTT platforms are mostly chasing established stars and directors, missing out on a vital opportunity to nurture new talent. What a shame!”

Director Shekhar Kapur responded to Azmi’s post and noted, “So long? I bet the film still feels contemporary.”

‘Nishant’, starring an ensemble cast including Girish Karnad, Amrish Puri, Mohan Agashe, Anant Nag, Sadhu Meher, Smita Patil and Naseeruddin Shah, explored themes of rural elite power and sexual exploitation of women during the feudal era in Telangana.

The film remains a striking example of parallel cinema, a genre known for its emphasis on social realism and alternative storylines.

Shabana Azmi, known for her roles in experimental and parallel cinema, is a prominent figure in the Indian film industry.

She acted in Deepa Mehta’s Fire and appeared in several of Benegal’s films including Junoon, Susman and Antarnaad. A pioneer of parallel cinema, Benegal has directed acclaimed works such as Ankur, Manthan, Bhumika, Kalyug and Mujib.

Smita Patil, who also made her debut in 1975 with Charandas Chor from Benegal, became an important figure in parallel cinema. She contributed to the New Wave movement and was also active in mainstream films throughout her career.

Source: IANS

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