Ankur is an Indian colour film of 1974. It was the first feature film directed by Shyam Benegal and the debut of Indian actors Shabana Azmi and Anant Nag. Anant Nag was introduced in Ankur by Shyam Benegal after his higher education in Mumbai.Though Shabana Azmi had acted in other films as well, Ankur was her first release.

Like many of Benegal's other films, Ankur belongs to the genre of Indian art films, or more precisely, Indian Parallel cinema. The plot is based on a true story that occurred in Hyderabad, apparently in the 1950s. It was filmed almost entirely on location.

Ankur has won three National Film Awards and 43 other prizes, both in India and abroad. It was nominated for the Golden Bear at the 24th Berlin International Film Festival.

The film was both commercial and critical success, as film's producer, Lalit M. Bijlani, who produced the film for just five lakhs rupees, went on to make one crore with its release.

A Channel 4 review placed the film, in "the top ten classic films of the Indian Art House canon.", while according to the Independent,"the deeply impressive lead performance by Shabana Azmi demonstrates Ankur as one of the most mature and compelling films the Indian cinema has to offer". For the Time Out reviewer, the film, "recalled the modest realism of Satyajit Ray, and as a recent reviewer, put "Shyam Benegal creates a sublime and provocative examination of hypocrisy, economic disparity, and the social status of women in Ankur.

Awards [edit]
1975 National Film Award for Second Best Feature Film: Shyam Benegal
1975 National Film Award for Best Actor: Sadhu Meher
1975 National Film Award for Best Actress: Shabana Azmi
1974: Berlin International Film Festival: Golden Berlin Bear: Nominated

Cast: Shabana Azmi, Anant Nag, Sadhu Meher, Priya Tendulkar, Kader Ali Beg, Dalip Tahil
Direction: Shyam Benegal
Producers: Lalit M. Bijlani, Freni Variava; Blaze Film Enterprises
Writers: Shyam Benegal (Screenplay), Satyadev Dubey (Dialogue)
Music: Vanraj Bhatia
Cinematography: Govind Nihalani, Kamath Ghanekar
Release date(s): 1974