Mandi(1983)
Mandi (1983) is a 167-minute Hindi film directed by Shyam Benegal. Starring Shabana Azmi, Sreela Majumdar and Neena Gupta, the film was widely praised by audiences. With a well-received audience rating of 7.8/10 from 1983.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, ShemarooMe, Airtel Xstream Play
- Theatrical Release
- 25 February 1983
- Director
- Shyam Benegal
- Language
- Hindi
- Runtime
- 2h 47m
- Rating
- 7.8/10
Storyline
A group of women run a brothel in town. They face pressure from a politician and property developers who want them to leave. The story follows their struggles to stay together and protect their home.
“A brothel fights to stay open against all odds.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Mandi
Cast reunions in this film: Naseeruddin Shah & Shabana Azmi (14 films together), Naseeruddin Shah & Smita Patil (12 films together), Amrish Puri & Naseeruddin Shah (11 films together), Amrish Puri & Smita Patil (10 films together), Amrish Puri & Kulbhushan Kharbanda (9 films together), and Amrish Puri & Saeed Jaffrey (8 films together).
Trivia
- The film is based on a short story by Urdu writer Ghulam Abbas, which was later adapted into a play.
- It was shot in Hyderabad's old city to capture the authentic look of a bustling, crowded neighborhood.
- Shabana Azmi's role as Rukmini Bai was originally offered to another actress, but she insisted on playing it.
- The title 'Mandi' means 'marketplace' in Hindi, symbolizing the buying and selling within the story.
- Composer Vanraj Bhatia used folk-inspired music to reflect the setting, avoiding typical Bollywood songs.
- The film faced censorship issues for its bold subject matter but was not heavily cut upon release.
- It was India's official entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 1984 Academy Awards.