📌 Key Points
- Aparna Sen reveals she declined Shyam Benegal’s offer for his debut film, ‘Ankur’.
- Sen felt unconfident about speaking Hindi with a Telugu dialect for the role.
- Shabana Azmi debuted in ‘Ankur’ after Sen turned down the part and received acclaim.
- Sen and Azmi later collaborated on films like ‘Sati’ (1989) and ‘Sonata’ (2017).
Aparna Sen has revealed her regret at turning down Shyam Benegal’s debut film ‘Ankur’, a role that ultimately launched Shabana Azmi’s career. Sen cited a lack of confidence in the required dialect as her reason for declining the offer.
Sen’s Hesitation About ‘Ankur’ Explained
Shyam Benegal was a representative voice of the parallel cinema movement that ushered in new aesthetics in the 1970s. His first film, Ankur, received widespread acclaim and marked the acting debut of Shabana Azmi . But did you know that Shabana was not the first choice for the film? Shyam had first offered the film to acclaimed actor Aparna Sen , but she had turned it down. In a new conversation with Straight up with Shree, Aparna revealed why.
Shabana Azmi’s Debut and Breakthrough Role
She continued, “He sent me a synopsis and it was written that she [the protagonist] would be speaking in Hindi with a dialect with spatterings of Telugu. I thought this is so far away and I was going to be the household help. This is not something I felt confident about. This was Shyam’s first film and he asked a lot of people and had been turned down being a newcomer. I told that I loved the synopsis and story, but I don’t think I will do it. He said, ‘Okay, fine. You just sent me the synopsis [back].’ He must have felt bad, but if he had said, ‘Why’?’ then I would have confided that I feel under-confident and he would have reassured me. But thank goodness that did not happen because Shabana [Azmi] was so good! We got an actress of Shabana’s calibre!”
Aparna Sen and Shabana Azmi’s Collaboration
Meanwhile, Shabana and Aparna also became friends in the succeeding years. They collaborated on films such as Sati (1989), directed by Sen, and the 2017 drama Sonata, in which they both starred.
Aparna Sen’s reflection highlights the serendipitous nature of casting and the eventual success of Shabana Azmi in ‘Ankur.’ The two actresses formed a lasting friendship and collaborated on notable projects later in their careers.
