9 Movies Starring Shabana Azmi

Ankur

Ankur

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1977-04-01

Languages:

Hindi

Countries:

India

Runtime:

131 min

IMDB Ratings:

7.9 (451 Reviews)

Director:

Shyam Benegal

Genres:

Drama

Cast:

Writer:

Shyam Benegal (story)

Satyadev Dubey (dialogue)

Fullplot:

Laxmi lives a poor lifestyle in a small village in India along with her husband, Kishtaya, who is a deaf-mute. Both husband and wife work for the wealthy landlord. The landlord's son, Surya, has to cancel his studies and return home to look after the estate, as well as formalize his marriage to Saroj, the girl he was compelled to get married to when he was very young. Shortly thereafter Kishtaya is apprehended stealing toddy from the fields, is severely beaten, left senseless, and when he recovers he absconds, leaving Laxmi alone to fend for herself. Surya finds her attractive and starts an intimate relationship with her, much to the chagrin of the rest of the family. Things only get worse when Saroj moves in to live with Surya - compelling him to make a final decision about a visibly pregnant Laxmi.

The Chess Players

The Chess Players

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1977-10-03

Languages:

Urdu, English, Hindi

Countries:

India

Runtime:

129 min

Rated:

NOT RATED

IMDB Ratings:

7.8 (1950 Reviews)

Director:

Satyajit Ray

Cast:

Writer:

Munshi Premchand (story)

Satyajit Ray (dialogue)

Satyajit Ray (screenplay)

Javed Siddiqui (dialogue)

Shama Zaidi (dialogue)

Fullplot:

Wazed Ali Shah is the ruler of one of the last independent kingdoms of India. The British, intent on controlling this rich country, have sent general Outram on a secret mission to clear the way for an annexation. While pressure is mounting amidst intrigue and political manoeuvres, Ali Shah composes poems and listens to music, secluded in his palace. The court is of no help, as exemplified by nobles Mir and Mirza, who, ignoring the situation of their country and all their duties towards their families, spend their days playing endless parties of chess.

Sparsh

Sparsh

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1980-01-30

Languages:

Hindi

Countries:

India

Runtime:

145 min

IMDB Ratings:

(304 Reviews)

Director:

Sai Paranjape

Fullplot:

Anirudh Parmar is blind, but he does not let this impairment bind him down. He runs a school for the blind as a Principal. He meets with social worker, Kavita. Kavita is attracted to him, and he slowly also gets attracted to her. When marriage is proposed, both agree to marry each other. Then Anirudh starts having doubts whether this marriage is going to succeed, as he feels he is being patronized, and pittied.

Masoom

Masoom

Basic Info:

Languages:

Hindi

Countries:

India

Runtime:

165 min

Rated:

NOT RATED

IMDB Ratings:

8.5 (1916 Reviews)

Director:

Shekhar Kapur

Fullplot:

D.K. Malhotra lives a comfortable lifestyle with his wife, Indu, and two school-going daughters, Pinky and Minni. He works in the office of an Architect. One day while the family is relaxing, D.K. gets a phone call that results in him bringing home a young school-going boy by the name of Rahul. Indu is shocked to learn that Rahul is D.K.'s son from another woman, Bhavana, who is no more. D.K. does his best to make Rahul comfortable, but fails. Rahul also feels that Indu does not really like him, though Pinky and Minni have taken to him in a big way. Finally, D.K. decides to admit Rahul in a boarding school in far off Nainital. Rahul reluctantly goes along with this new-found uncle/friend. It is when Rahul is asked to put his papers together for school that Rahul finds out that D.K. is his biological father. Watch what happens when Rahul disappears from D.K.'s house, and the impact this has on D.K., Indu, and her two daughters.

Madame Sousatzka

Madame Sousatzka

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1988-10-14

Languages:

English

Countries:

UK

Runtime:

122 min

Rated:

PG-13

IMDB Ratings:

6.6 (1056 Reviews)

Genres:

DramaMusic

Cast:

Writer:

Bernice Rubens (from the novel by)

Ruth Prawer Jhabvala (screenplay)

John Schlesinger (screenplay)

Peter Morgan (additional material written by)

Mark Wadlow (additional material written by)

Fullplot:

Bengali Sushila Sen and her son, Manek, relocate from India to London after Sushila's relationship with her husband fails. Sushila struggles with everyday living. A child piano prodigy, Manek's schoolteacher refers him to a piano teacher, Irina Sousatzka, a Russian immigrant renowned for her teaching skills. Irina forms a strong bond with Manek, not only teaching him piano but also valuable life lessons. Disagreements arise, as Manek does not want anyone to run his life for him, but nevertheless the training progresses. Sushila, a baker and seller of Indian cuisine, loses an important client after her hair is found in one of her baked goods. To help his mother, Manek feels pressure to use his piano skills to earn some money. This is against Irina's wishes, however, as she is trying to protect Manek from her own negative experiences as a young concert pianist. She believes no student should perform until they are ready. But Manek, encouraged by a pushy music agent, decides to perform with the London Symphony Orchestra, ready or not.

City of Joy

City of Joy

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1992-04-15

Languages:

English

Countries:

France, UK

Runtime:

132 min

Rated:

PG-13

IMDB Ratings:

6.3 (3804 Reviews)

Director:

Roland Joffè

Genres:

Drama

Cast:

Writer:

Dominique Lapierre (book)

Mark Medoff (screenplay)

Fullplot:

Hazari Pal lives in a small village in Bihar, India, with his dad, mom, wife, Kamla, daughter, Amrita, and two sons, Shambhu and Manooj. As the Pal are unable to repay the loan they had taken years ago from a moneylender, their land and property are auctioned, and they are rendered homeless. Hazari and his family re-locate to Calcutta with hopes of starting life anew, save some money and go back to Bihar, as well as get Amrita married. Things do not go as planned, as they lose their entire savings to a con-man, Gangooly, who took their money as rent by pretending to be a landlord. Then Hazari gets an opportunity to take up driving a rickshaw manually through a local godfather, Ghatak. He gets to meet a American, Dr. Max Lowe, and together they strike up a friendship along with a local social worker, Joan Bethel. Misunderstandings crop up between Joan and the Godfather, resulting in the shutting down of their shanty medical clinic. When Hazari sides with Joan, his rickshaw is taken away. Things get worse when the Godfather passes away, leaving his estate to his way-ward son, Ashok Ghatak, who has plans to do away with the slums, especially the lepers who have now started frequenting the locality, Max, Joan and above all Hazari himself, and he is determined to take the "joy" of living in Calcutta.

Son of the Pink Panther

Son of the Pink Panther

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1993-08-27

Languages:

English, Italian

Countries:

Italy, USA

Runtime:

93 min

Rated:

PG

IMDB Ratings:

3.7 (3587 Reviews)

Director:

Blake Edwards

Genres:

Comedy

Cast:

Writer:

Maurice Richlin (characters)

Blake Edwards (characters)

Blake Edwards (story)

Blake Edwards (screenplay)

Madeline Sunshine (screenplay)

Steven Sunshine (screenplay)

Fullplot:

Eighth entry in the Pink Panther. It is nearly 30 years since Inspector Jacques Clouseau managed to get Maria Gambrelli off from a murder charge (events of "A Shot In The Dark".) Maria has gone on and have moved to a seaside town. Also Princess Yasmin of Lugash has come to the town for a holiday with her father. She is kidnapped and because of the strong ties between France and Lugash, Chief Inspector Dreyfus is called in to find her. He is hampered by the local police officer Jacques and is amazed when he finds that Jacques is Maria's son. He is terrified even though he and Maria are falling in love that Jacques is Clouseau's son and Jacques is showing Clouseau-ish behaviour. Both Jacques and Dreyfus set out to find the missing Princess...

The Web of the Witch

The Web of the Witch

Basic Info:

Released Date:

2002-11-22

Languages:

Hindi

Countries:

India

Runtime:

90 min

IMDB Ratings:

7.5 (957 Reviews)

Director:

Vishal Bhardwaj

Genres:

Fantasy

Cast:

Writer:

Abbas Tyrewala (story)

Vishal Bhardwaj (story)

Vishal Bhardwaj (screenplay)

Fullplot:

In a small North Indian village, Legend has it that a 100 years-old witch lives in an abandoned mansion on the village outskirts, and any person who goes inside is turned into an animal. In the same village a clever, naughty girl named Chunni (Shweta Prasad) lives with her widowed father, grandmother and her identical twin Munni, who is just the exact opposite of Chunni in mannerisms. But one day, Chunni's prank causes Munni enters the witch's mansion and the witch turns her into a hen. Chunni strikes a deal with Makdee (Shabana Azmi) that she will present Makdee with 100 hens in exchange for Munni in human form. How she manages this task forms the crux of the rest of this fun-filled children's movie.

Ek Doctor Ki Maut

Ek Doctor Ki Maut

Basic Info:

Languages:

Hindi

Countries:

India

Runtime:

122 min

IMDB Ratings:

7.9 (397 Reviews)

Director:

Tapan Sinha

Genres:

Drama

Cast:

Writer:

Ramapada Chowdhury (story)

Tapan Sinha (screenplay)

Fullplot:

After years of painstaking research at the cost of his domestic pleasure, Dr. Dipankar Roy discovers a vaccine for leprosy. The news is flashed over television and overnight, an insignificant junior doctor receives international recognition. Professional jealousy and abuse of power threaten Dr. Roy, even as the Secretary of Health reprimands him for breaking the news to the press. He is asked to report to the Director of Health. Professional colleagues Dr. Arijit Sen and Dr. Ramananda invite him to a lecture but it is merely a pretence to humiliate him. Dr. Roy suffers a mild heart attack but he refuses to go to the hospital. His wife and few others like Dr. Kundu stand by Dr. Roy, but the harassment continues; a letter from an American foundation is suppressed and Dr. Roy transferred to a remote village. The last straw is two American doctors receiving credit for discovering the same vaccine. Dr. Roy is shattered.

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