Nishant

Review By Kamal K

This is the story of Shyam Benegal's Nishant, a well-made film which portrays the state of those times' rural India. The film depicts a reality which is a bit difficult to see. The proceedings are very serious and the film is dark and dim.

In a feudal village in the 1940s, the village's new schoolmaster's wife, Sushila (Shabana Azmi), is abducted for the enjoyment of the zamindar's cruel, depraved younger brothers. The schoolmaster tries to recover her through official channels, including the local police official (Kulbushan Kharbanda), but meets everything from indifference to abject fear of the powerful zamindar (Amrish Puri). In the meantime, Suhsila tries to make the best of her imprisonment, demanding concessions like trips to the temple to worship and access to her own kitchen where she can prepare her meals with some dignity. The zamindar's youngest (and most uncertain) brother, Vishwam (Naseeruddin Shah) shows signs of being in love with her, to the chagrin of his wife Rukmini (Smita Patil), who bristles at the possibility that Sushila may come to replace her. Eventually, the local pandit - through most of the film another pawn of the zamindar - incites the schoolmaster and the rest of the town to revolt against the zamindar's tyrrany, with indiscriminately tragic results.

Girish Karnad is excellent as the tormented teacher who loses his wife and is unable to get her back. Shabana Azmi is outstanding as Sushila in a restrained and deep act. I particularly liked her outburst at her husband. Her anger was so easy to relate to. Smita Patil makes her acting debut with this very film and though her part is small, she makes the best of every scene she appears in. Amrish Puri is successfully frightening as the merciless Zamindar. Naseeruddin Shah is as always wonderful and his character is very sympathetic despite the conflict it creates. The boy who plays Sushila's son is extremely cute.

This movie is a timeless classic. One more feather to the cap of the director Shyam Benegal. This movie was nominated for Cannes film festival and unfortunately did not win any award.

Nishant is a good film, a disturbing, real and engaging piece. What is particularly likeable about the film is its unpredictability right until the very final scenes. But the main complaint is that it was a tad too slow. While in the second half it gets far more enjoyable, and the film is thoroughly engaging thanks to its story and fantastic execution, the pace was still somewhat dragged, and at times will make you like squirming in my seat. Nonetheless, it's a worthy effort. To those who expect to be purely entertained, this may not be the right film, but those who appreciate artistic excellence will definitely enjoy watching this picture.

This movie is a timeless classic. One more feather to the cap of the director Shyam Benegal. This movie was nominated for Cannes film festival and unfortunately did not win any award. Again Benegal takes us on a tour of rural Andhra and he does it with his characteristic grace and élan. The camera work is as usual good which can be expected of a Benegal movie. The music is good and above all , all the actors have turned in performances of their life time. Smita Patil, though in a not so significant role, excels. Shabana as usual shines. The fall of the feudal system because of it's excesses is very ably painted on the celluloid screen. Again this movie was a commercial failure, and the time of it's release was witnessing a birth of a phenomenon of Bollywood , Amitabh. Maybe that was the reason for this movie's failure at the box office. But again the movie going masses in India have always treated the alternative cinema in a not so fair manner, so this movie was no exception.

The only small defect that anyone can point out in such movies, is the facial makeup of the main characters. Always the heroes and heroines are a stand out from the general crowds. But again one may condone them as a matter of artistic or artiste's liberty.

Any collector of movies should cherish this movie.

Nishant (1975) : Brief Review -

A hard-hitting and stunning tale of Contempt of Women and Frenzy Rage against Oppression. An epitome of path-breaking filmmaking, Mr. Shyam Benegal debuted with a powerful film like 'Ankur' which led him to make another women centric powerful film and that's what Nishant is. This cannot be a co-incident that he decided to make so many socially powerful films which showed us brutal pictures of our own society and how Women have been treated like garbage. If i am not putting it higher then i would like to state here that, Benegal was the director who gave a perspective to Bollywood cinema during the time when it was going gaga over money making Masala flicks. Nishant is another excellent material from him which shows us horrible face of the society including individuals like Husband, Wife, Oppressed People and brutal Zamindars in a remote village. An innocent and beautiful wife of an honest teacher is kidnapped by the Zamindar's sons and then the husband bring a rageous revolution in the villagers. While the film also talks about husband-wife relationship, bereaucracy and men's mindset about women, it doesn't fail to put a stunning end to the story where the justice and injustice have an equal fight. The film is blessed with the powerhouses like Naseeruddin Shah, Amrish Puri, Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil, Girish Karnad, Anant Nag, Mohan Agashe and many others. The performances alone are enough to recommend this film to cine viewers. Benegal's realistic execution and uncompromised vision lifts this film higher in cinematic graph. Many scenes hit just so hard that can never be forgotten, even when some of them are not brutal. Overall, a terrific socialism through realistic and artistic bounding in the feature film medium.

RATING - 7/10*

By - #samthebestest

I have seen very art films and this film is one of those very few. Normally films based on rural India are raw and real, well this film is no exception.

Now, I got introduced to Benegal through 'Zubaida'. Ever since then I got addicted to his works and eventually came across Nishant. Somehow what blew me away was the brilliant cast performances that makes the whole scenario very believable.

While Anant and Agashe play the cruel, sarcastic and womanizer brothers, its Nasser who gives you a breath of relief. On the other hand are Shabana and Girish who are a very devoted couple but then something just breaks through them.

On the third hand are the landlord Amrish, the shoe licker cop Kulbhushan and the innocent convict Sadhu.

Now these are the three sets of teams which sum up the entire film very very well. And oh yes how can you forget the lady of mysteriest Smitha!.

A very minor but strong credit goes to the lady who played 'Pochamma'. Her presence is very brief but strong at the same time.

Overall, please do watch this film and trust me you are gonna remember this piece for quite a long time.

I saw this film when it was released in the 70's, I was about 15 or so. I watched it again yesterday on DVD and once again was blown away by it brilliant acting, story, dialogue and subject matter.

I love Indian mainstream cinema, it has a big place in Indian culture, which very unfortunately and sadly is dismissed by many as kitch, but popular culture is popular culture and it has it's importance in society.

This movie on the other hand, is a perfect example of the other side of Indian cinema. I really wish movies by such great Indian directors (contemporary), can be shown in the West in regular cinemas (not small little places in remote parts of cities). To balance the mainstream of songs, dance, melodrama etc., we have this other cinema, which is so amazing, intelligent and brilliant, and very unfortunately has not been exposed to the NA market. It's just too sad!