Mahasweta Devi

Sent to cover a story on the exploitation of tribal people, Upin meets a woman he believes is the epitome of Indian beauty. His pictures of her change both of their lives forever.

Bhavani Prasad is a powerful thug, who masquerades as a priest. His son Shankar refused to follow his path so he wants his grandson Kundan to carry on the legacy. When his son protests, in a fit of rage, Bhavani gets Shankar killed and passes the buck to his cousin Naubat Lal. When Naubat Lal spills the beans he gets him killed as well, which deepens the family feud.

Shanichari is a beautiful girl born in lower cast and her life is full of sufferings because of lower cast, poor finances, lost parents, drunken husband, mischievous son. The title refers to a custom in some parts of Rajasthan—where aristocratic women were long kept secluded and veiled—of hiring professional women mourners on the death of a male relative, a rudaali (pronounced “roo-dah-lee”—literally, a female “weeper”) to publicly express the grief that family members, constrained by their high social status, were not permitted to display—or at times, perhaps did not feel. Underwritten by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and Doordarshan (Indian national television) and based on a short story by famed Bengali author Mahasweta Devi—whose tales often focus on the travails of low-caste women.

Johnny, a musician, joins Hameed the ventriloquist’s troupe, featuring the talking doll Urvashi. When Hameed loses his voice, Johnny buys Urvashi and returns to Mumbai, reuniting with his sweetheart Rosemary. Johnny’s performances with Urvashi are successful, but Rosemary becomes jealous. During communal riots, Johnny’s songs expose the culprits, leading to Urvashi’s destruction. Silenced, Johnny is comforted by Rosemary, who takes Urvashi’s place on stage, becoming the doll herself. Based on a play by Mahasweta Devi.

A bank worker tries to understand her son's actions after he dies in a revolutionary movement.