Sardari Begum

This is a Hindi Language film starring Kiron Kher and Smriti Mishra playing the title character at different stages of her life.

The film's direction, script and narration style is brilliant. Created in the style of Roshomon and Pulp Fiction before it, this film's story is best suited to this narrative style. Which is why I consider this as perhaps Shyam Benegal's best!

The film's story revolves around the life and times of a courtesan who has recently passed away, and the performances are excellent! Especially that of the underrated Smriti Mishra who's allure as the younger Sardari Begum is so believable!

A must watch, you'll be hooked!

Benegal's 'Sardari Begum' follows the same line of Benegal's 'Zubeidaa'. Both films are said to be part of a trilogy of which the third film is 'Mammo'. I haven't seen 'Mammo' but while both 'Zubeidaa' and 'Sardari Begum' tell the story of an enigmatic woman who lived her life on her own terms, the latter film is a lot less polished and much more raw. This only adds to the somberness and deglamour of the film making it look much more real. While the glamour works very well in 'Zubeidaa' as it deals with the upper class, the lack of it works for 'Sardari Begum' as it deals with the middle class.

Benegal is already known as a masterful storyteller, especially when it concerns women. Here he certainly does not let his viewer down. the writing is brilliant and the characters are very interestingly defined as we see them from different perspectives. The editing is crisp.

He extracts some fine performances from his actors. This is perhaps the first role that does full justice to Kiron Kher's talent. She's simply phenomenal. In the title role, Smriti Mishra does a very good job. Rajeshwari Sachdev too standouts especially in the final sequences. Newcomer Rajina Raj Bisaria adds a freshness with a sincere performance. Rajit Kapoor, Salim Ghouse and Amrish Puri lend sufficient support.

The songs are very simplistic, created with beautiful lyrics and minimal use of instruments. The cinematography, especially the use of the zoomlens shot from multiple angles is very effective.

Like 'Zubeidaa', 'Sardari Begum' is a beautiful film. It's just a different kind of beautiful. Watch it and you will see what I mean.

Maybe it is based on a real life character and thats why there arent very many silly mistakes that most Hindi movies have. Screenplay is very good and the music is absolutely great. The movie reminds one of movies like "Rashomon" by Akira Kurosawa and "Citizen Kane" by Orson Welles. The ending is superb and leaves you with a subjective feeling. This movie is a part of trilogy starting in "Mammo" and ending in "Zubeeida". However, this movie the most independent of the three. The other two have lots of characters that spill over from one movie to the other.

Shyam Benegal is truly one of India's greatest directors.

Great Movie. Indian CInema got a wonderful actress in Kiron Kher after this movie. Though she had done few films before but this was the first time she was noticed.Specially her next door aunt face gave the character a realistic appeal. This movie shows how someone rising from middle class background in a short age profession or one which requires patron may face. Retracing Sardari BEgum's story from different view points was interesting .But I expected her daughter to be bitter towards her which was not the case . Only negative point was the journalist trying to find the real story ,she overacted a bit. Other characters of AMrish Puri , Rajat KApoor, the director of radio station or the lover of Rajeshwari were well scripted & decently performed.

I rated it high because it is not the typical Bollywood film: * There are no force-fitted song-and-dance scenes.

* The story is unfolded in an atypical style - through the journalist's interviews.

* The vignettes resemble real life in India of those times.

The movie is a musical, woven around the life of a music-lover in conflict with the traditions of mainstream society, especially her own family.

Her love of self-expressive music takes her down the path of a courtesan's life in India (esp. Uttar Pradesh) of those Nawabi times. Sardari Begum begins taking her daughter down the same path. The story of her journey brings out the social issues of those times. Thus, the movie has an important social theme and message - another reason for my high rating.

While many of the songs have religious motifs, they are expressions of romantic moods with mild eroticism. The body language of the singer enhances the sensuality. For example, the song "Moray Kanha jo aaye palat ke" connotes mischievous eroticism. The last song (also the closing song), "Chali pee ke nagar" is touching. It is symbolic of Sardari Begum's last journey - leaving this life, going to the land of the Beloved (the Supreme Being).

If you enjoy light classical music of this style, you will enjoy this movie very much. It is one more reason in support of my rating.