Sardari Begum is a 1996 Hindi movie directed by Shyam Benegal

Shyam Benegal

Shyam Benegal is a prolific Indian director and screenwriter. With his first four feature films Ankur , Nishant Manthan and Bhumika he created a new genre, which has now come to be called the "middle cinema" in India although he himself has expressed dislike in the term preferring his work to...

. The film stars Kiron Kher, Amrish Puri

Amrish Puri

Amrish Singh Puri , ; 22 June 1932 – 12 January 2005 was an iconic theater and film actor from India, who was a key player in the Indian theater movement that picked up steam in the 1960s. He worked with notable playwrights of the time, such as Satyadev Dubey and Girish Karnad...

 and Rajit Kapur

Rajit Kapur

Rajit Kapur is an Indian actor. He is particularly known for his award-winning portrayal of Mahatma Gandhi in the 1996 film, The Making of the Mahatma. One of his most popular stints is his portrayal of Byomkesh Bakshi in a television series of the same name based on the character created by...

 and Rajeshwari Sachdev

Rajeshwari Sachdev

Rajeshwari Sachdev is a Hindi film actress, who is most known for her role in Shyam Benegal's film Sardari Begum , for which she won the 1997 National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress....

.

Film's lead actress Kiron Kher won the 1997 National Film Award - Special Jury Award

National Film Award - Special Jury Award / Special Mention (Feature Film)

The National Film Award of India - Special Jury Award / Special Mention - Feature Film winners are:...

. Rajeshwari Sachdev

Rajeshwari Sachdev

Rajeshwari Sachdev is a Hindi film actress, who is most known for her role in Shyam Benegal's film Sardari Begum , for which she won the 1997 National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress....

, won the 1997 National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress

National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress

The National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress winners:...

. Film's music by Vanraj Bhatia

Vanraj Bhatia

Vanraj Bhatia is an Indian music composer, who is best known for providing music for most of Shyam Benegal's films, and for his private albums with Music Today....

 also received wide acclaim, Arati Ankalikar-Tikekar

Arati Ankalikar-Tikekar

Arati Ankalikar-Tikekar is a noted Indian Classical Music vocalist and a world renowned classical singer. She has received training in Agra as well as Gwalior-Atrauli gharanas...

, the play back singer of the film also received accolades in the category of 'Best Playback Singer'.

This film focusses the complex portrait of family relationships, generational and sexual politics as well as social mores in India.

Plot

The police are called to investigate the death of a woman during a riot in the walled city of Delhi. She was killed by a stone thrown by an agitated mob. The woman killed is known in the community as "Sardari Begum" (Kiron Kher), a popular singer and courtesan. The religious nature of the incident and the impending elections combine to attract the media's attention. When a young reporter covering the funeral, Tehzeeb Abbasi (Rajina Raj Bisaria), discovers her father among the mourners, her curiosity prompts her to investigate further. Then comes the revelation that the singer was in fact her aunt, who was disowned by her family for rebelliously learning music from a concubine.

Cast

• Kirron Kher
  Kirron Kher
  Kirron Kher is an Indian theatre, film and television actress and a TV talk show host.- Early life :Kirron Kher was born in Bangalore in a JatSikh family of Punjabi background. She was brought up in Chandigarh, Punjab, where she did her schooling and later college from Panjab University, Chandigarh...
  
   - Sardari Begum
• Amrish Puri
  Amrish Puri
  Amrish Singh Puri , ; 22 June 1932 – 12 January 2005 was an iconic theater and film actor from India, who was a key player in the Indian theater movement that picked up steam in the 1960s. He worked with notable playwrights of the time, such as Satyadev Dubey and Girish Karnad...
  
   - Hemraj
• Surekha Sikri
  Surekha Sikri
  Surekha Sikri or Surekha Sikri Rege is Indian film, theatre and TV actor. She has won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress twice, for her role in Tamas in 1988 and for Mammo in 1995.-Early life and background:...
  
   - Idbal Bai
• Rajit Kapur
  Rajit Kapur
  Rajit Kapur is an Indian actor. He is particularly known for his award-winning portrayal of Mahatma Gandhi in the 1996 film, The Making of the Mahatma. One of his most popular stints is his portrayal of Byomkesh Bakshi in a television series of the same name based on the character created by...
  
   - Sadiq Moosvi
• Rajeshwari Sachdev
  Rajeshwari Sachdev
  Rajeshwari Sachdev is a Hindi film actress, who is most known for her role in Shyam Benegal's film Sardari Begum , for which she won the 1997 National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress....
  
   - Sakina
• Uttara Baokar
  Uttara Baokar
  Uttara Baokar is an Indian stage actor, who also acts in both on films and television. An alumna of National School of Drama, she remained lead actress with the NSD Repertory Company in the 1970s and '80s, a period which saw the revival of Hindi theatre in Delhi, before moving to television and...
  
   - Hemraj's wife
• Smriti Mishra
  Smriti Mishra
  Smriti Mishra is an Indian film actor, most known for her roles in Shyam Benegal's Sardari Begum , Pamela Rooks Train to Pakistan and Vijay Singh's Jaya Ganga.-Filmography:* Sardari Begum * Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin...
  
   - Younger Sardari.

Awards

• 1997: National Film Award - Special Jury Award
  National Film Award - Special Jury Award / Special Mention (Feature Film)
  The National Film Award of India - Special Jury Award / Special Mention - Feature Film winners are:...
  
  : Kirron Kher
  Kirron Kher
  Kirron Kher is an Indian theatre, film and television actress and a TV talk show host.- Early life :Kirron Kher was born in Bangalore in a JatSikh family of Punjabi background. She was brought up in Chandigarh, Punjab, where she did her schooling and later college from Panjab University, Chandigarh...
  
  
• 1997: National Film Award - Best Supporting Actress
  National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress
  The National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress winners:...
  
   : Rajeshwari Sachdev
  Rajeshwari Sachdev
  Rajeshwari Sachdev is a Hindi film actress, who is most known for her role in Shyam Benegal's film Sardari Begum , for which she won the 1997 National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress....
  
  
• 1997 :Moscow International Film Festival
  Moscow International Film Festival
  Moscow International Film Festival , is the film festival first held in Moscow in 1959. From its inception to 1995 it was held every second year in July, alternating with the Karlovy Vary festival. The festival has been held annually since 1995....
  
  : Golden St. George: Shyam Benegal
  Shyam Benegal
  Shyam Benegal is a prolific Indian director and screenwriter. With his first four feature films Ankur , Nishant Manthan and Bhumika he created a new genre, which has now come to be called the "middle cinema" in India although he himself has expressed dislike in the term preferring his work to...
  
  : Nominated