Mumbai, Sep 6 (IANS): As veteran actress Shabana Azmi celebrated the 49th anniversary of her film 'Nishant', she reflected on the film's impact and critiqued current industry trends.

Azmi praised director Shyam Benegal for his role in launching newcomers into stardom through the film, contrasting this with the current focus of OTT platforms on established stars and directors.

On Thursday, Shabana Azmi shared the poster of 'Nishant' on Instagram and noted: “49 years since Nishant was released. The film, the second after Ankur, firmly established Shyam Benegal as a leading figure in what is known as parallel cinema. Shyam gave newcomers a chance and established them as stars. Unfortunately, OTT platforms are mostly pursuing established stars and directors, missing a significant opportunity to nurture new talent. What a pity!”

Director Shekhar Kapur responded to Azmi’s post, remarking: “That long? Bet the film still feels contemporary.”

'Nishant', which featured an ensemble cast including Girish Karnad, Amrish Puri, Mohan Agashe, Anant Nag, Sadhu Meher, Smita Patil, and Naseeruddin Shah, explored themes of rural elite power and sexual exploitation of women during the feudal era in Telangana.

The film remains a notable example of parallel cinema, a genre known for its focus on social realism and alternative narratives.

Shabana Azmi, known for her roles in experimental and parallel cinema, has been a prominent figure in Indian film industry.

She starred in Deepa Mehta's Fire and appeared in several of Benegal's films, including Junoon, Susman, and Antarnaad. Benegal, a pioneer of parallel cinema, has directed acclaimed works such as Ankur, Manthan, Bhumika, Kalyug, and Mujib.

Smita Patil, who also debuted in 1975 with Benegal's Charandas Chor, became a significant figure in parallel cinema, contributing to the New Wave movement while also engaging in mainstream films throughout her career.