Mumbai, November 15 (Yes Punjab News)
Veteran actress Shabana Azmi has recalled how a poster of her 1974 film Ankur was initially met with ridicule when it was displayed at Mumbai’s Kemps Corner.
In a social media post on Sunday, the actress remembered how the poster stood out from other film advertisements of the time. It featured her lying next to the film’s lead actor, Sadhu Meher, with her eyes closed.
Shabana said the unusual poster drew mocking remarks from passers-by. However, after the film was released, some of the same people reportedly praised it, saying they had known from the poster itself that the film would be good.
Sharing the memory, she wrote, “I remember when this poster was put at Kemps Corner it was so different from the other posters of the day that it was met with scoff !! What is this ? An advert for earache ? And when Ankur was released it was said by the same people yeh tto poster hi pata chal Gaya tha ke film bahut achchi hogi !!! (sic)”.
Ankur marked Shabana Azmi’s acting debut and was the first feature film directed by celebrated filmmaker Shyam Benegal. The drama is believed to have been inspired by a real incident in Hyderabad in the 1950s.
The film won three National Film Awards: Second Best Feature Film, Best Actress for Shabana Azmi and Best Actor for Sadhu Meher. It was also nominated for the Golden Bear at the 24th Berlin International Film Festival.
Backed by Lalit M. Bijlani, Freni Variava and Blaze Film Enterprises, Ankur was released in theatres on September 24, 1974.
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