How Aparna Sen turned down Shyam Benegal’s ‘Ankur’ and Shabana Azmi landed a career-defining breakthrough

In cinema, one “no” can change everything. And this time, the story comes with a big dose of nostalgia, a little regret, and a lot of “what if.” Actor-director Aparna Sen has revealed that she once turned down a film that later became a landmark in Indian cinema, the 1974 classic ‘Ankur’. The role eventually went to Shabana Azmi and made her an overnight sensation.

Here’s how one decision quietly rewrote film history.

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A role she loved, but didn’t feel right for

Speaking on the talk show Straight Up With Shree, Sen shared that she actually liked the story of ‘Ankur’. However, she didn’t feel confident about performing the role.

The character required speaking Hindi with a strong Telugu dialect. She felt that was far away from her own linguistic background.

She explained that while the story impressed her, she was unsure she could convincingly play a household help speaking in that specific dialect. Rather than risk an unconvincing performance, she chose to step away.

Not interested in mainstream Hindi stardom

At that point in her career, Sen’s Hindi film journey had not taken off the way many expected. She admitted she wasn’t very eager to become a typical Hindi film heroine. Even though the film offered financial benefits, she wasn’t driven by that factor.

Her priorities were different. She preferred roles she felt comfortable with and didn’t want to force herself into something she couldn’t fully own. That clarity led to her declining the offer.

The film’s director, Shyam Benegal, was also a newcomer at the time. Interestingly, Sen revealed that ‘Ankur’ had already faced several rejections before it reached her. Benegal was new. He respected her decision and didn’t push her to reconsider.

Shabana Azmi’s breakthrough moment

When Azmi stepped into role of Laxmi, she delivered performance that still resonates decades later. Playing domestic worker caught in a complicated relationship with her landlord, she brought realism to the character.

The performance earned her the National Film Award for Best Actress, her first, and firmly established her in the parallel cinema movement.

 

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The film itself gained recognition for its bold portrayal of caste, class, and gender dynamics in a conservative rural setting.

‘Ankur’ went on to become a cornerstone of 1970s parallel cinema.

Despite the “what if” twist, there was no awkwardness between Sen and Azmi. Over the years, the two developed a warm professional and personal bond. They later collaborated on Sen’s 1989 film ‘Sati’ and also appeared together in the 2017 drama ‘Sonata’.

Also Read: Born to a theatre star but never watched films: Jisshu Sengupta says Hindi and Bengali cinema didn’t shape his childhood