Shabana Azmi recalled that one of the most challenging aspects of preparing for the acclaimed film Ankur (1974) was learning to sit on her haunches—a posture integral to her character’s life. Azmi was speaking at the 29th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), where she is being honoured for completing 50 years in film.
“When I did Ankur, I was a girl from St. Xavier’s College, urban, middle class, and had never entered a village in my life. When I went to the village, Shyam Benegal made me wear the clothes of the character and walk around so that I would get my posture correct,” she said, reflecting on her debut feature film.
To help her embody the role, Shyam Benegal devised a creative exercise, Azmi explained.
“He asked me to sit in one corner and eat my food there while the others sat at the dining table,” she said.
Then came an amusing incident that marked a turning point. “One day, some young college boys came, looked at me, looked at Shyam Benegal, and asked, ‘Where’s the heroine of the film?’ I said, ‘She’s on holiday.’ They asked, ‘And what are you playing? What are you?’ I said, ‘The ayah.’ ‘Ah, OK,’ they said, and went away.”
Benegal was quick to notice. “He saw this and said, ‘You have convinced those boys. From now, you can sit with us at the table—you’ve earned your spot.’”
Reflecting on the experience, Azmi added, “That was the kind of training I received for Ankur.”
Notably, today marks Shyam Benegal’s 90th birthday, and the IFFK is screening Ankur to honour the acclaimed filmmaker and his iconic heroine.
