The denizens of a brothel deal with internal drama, as well as pressure from greedy land developers and an anti-sex work politician to leave town.
Acting
Shabana Azmi's commanding, layered performance as Rukmini Bai.
Writing
Satirical script weaponizes irony against respectability politics.
Production
Evocative period setting that feels lived-in, not museum-piece.
Director
Shyam Benegal
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Based on Urdu writer Ghulam Abbas's story 'Anandi,' the film adapts a classic satire for 1980s India.
The ensemble cast—Naseeruddin Shah, Amrish Puri, Saeed Jaffrey, Kulbhushan Kharbanda—represents a who's-who of parallel cinema's golden generation.
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