Great, powerful and impressive writers possess one thing for sure and that is the art to present stories in their own words/ways/manners and though it’s very much possible that they are taking inspirations from mythology or stories, already told in the past, but they weave the plot in such a way that their stories remain successful in presenting issues prevalent in the contemporary times.

Great writers have their strong control over observation of the three phases of the time, the past, the present and the future. They have ability to use their own mother tongue, no matter it’s not recognized world wide, to tell their stories and these stories will have global impact and will connect with the human beings living elsewhere in the world. They have deep observation of what has been going on and what may happen in future and they create their stories on the basis of that observation and then these stories reflect the mood, the suppressed feelings of people, the socio-political and personal understanding of that era.

Girish Karnad has this art as a writer. His Tughlaq, which he wrote at the age of 25 only, had given witness in his favour. He was seen as a capable author who could transcend the time to strike on contemporary issues through old historical characters or plots. Late Dharmveer Bharti also had this skill. His Andha Yug had Mahabharata in the background but through this epic he handled the issues prevailing in the 60s.

Vijay Tendulkar was also one such writer. Be it his popular plays like Sakharam Binder and Ghasiram Kotwal or films like Nishant, Manthan, Aakrosh and Ardha Satya, all gave proof of his being a very observant and deeply rooted writer.

His concerns were the things that affect humanbeing’s day to day life. Corruption, lack of education, oppression of lower casts by upper casts and Scheduled tribes by people living in cities and villages, male chauvinistic power motivated attitude of men towards women,

If we say that Nishant has mythological roots then many may not agree with this hypothesis but observe the plot minutely and the tales which every, or atleast most of the kids in India listen since childhood, are there, albeit presented in modern flavour.
If in mythology it was a rakshasha or Ravana kind of person who used to oppress people then here landlord and his family replace rakshashas.

If a team has got two great writers Vijay Tendulkar (Screen play) and Pt Satyadev Dube (Dialogues) then result can be anticipated very easily. When very effective scenes supported by apt dialogues are captured by a cameraman like Govind Nihalani and performances are controlled and guided by a director like Shyam Benegal then it is 100% sure that such a film will be bringing an effect to the audience, that is possible only by reading a high class literature.

Ordinary people daily pass through a certain route and they also observe certain things but that observation never goes deeper in to their mind as they don’t have observation of a writer, director or an artist.

Many might have seen people living in tents on the sides of roads and selling magical medicines, which, as they claim, can enhance sexual power of men. Majority of men suffer from this imagination that they may get highly powerful sexual capacity and can overpower large number of women in the life. And these sellers exploit this common tendency found in men.

One has to be alert to catch the humour in the sayings of these self claimed medicine men which they say very fast while alluring the crowd.
VT and SD’s team has included the slogans of these medicine vendors in one of the scene where Anant Nag (AN) and Mohan Agashe (MA)force Naseeruddin Shah to drink and Anant Nag says to him,” Pee le, pee le, paththar par maerga to awaj ayegee tannn”. And both AN and MA laugh.

That single dialogue defines the characters of Anant Nag and Mohan Agashe. They belong to those men who are suffering from a desire to attain high sexual power. Women are not human beings for them but merely sex slaves. Morality is an alien word to them.

- In the beginning of the film, there happens a theft in the temple of the village. Somebody has stolen the jewelery of the god. Priest (Pt Satyadev Dube) finds a gold chain lying in the sand infront of the garbhagriha.

-Villagers are gathered around the temple and Police constable or parel (Kulbhushan Kharbanda) is doing investigations. People are making jokes with Sadhu Mehar who has been to jail before for some other small crime and he fears that their jokes may bring him difficulties as he could easily be suspected as the thief so he protests them.

- Anant Nag and Mohan Agashe are scolding their younger brother Naseeruddin Shah. Their landlord father (Amrish Puri) comes there. They fear their father, who loves the youngest son, Naseer and to remain good in the eyes of their father, AN and MA say that Naseer has lost his gold chain and they are scolding him for his negligence as he is a fool. AP scolds both of them and asks about the money they had spent in gambling. Both of them go to city and AP asks Naseer not to worry and asks where he had spent last evening. Naseer tells that perhaps he dropped it in temple. AP assures him that he should not worry about chain and he w’d take care of the matter.

- AP goes to the temple. He knows that his sons AN and MA have stolen the jewellery of the God. He finds gathering of people there and he scolds Kulbhushan Kharbanda and asks him to bring a tantrik so that he can tell about the thief. Tantrik comes and people and AP conclude from his obscure indications that Sadhu Mehar is the thief. He is innocent but AP beats him. At the same time when AP is beating SM, AN and MA are going to city on their motorbike to sell the jewellery.

- AP comes back to temple and tries to use his tactics on priest, SD. He first tries to allure him by saying that with the new crop he would repair the temple and soon new jewellery and new clothes will be arranged for the deity. He then scolds unknown people that village has been filled with crooks and dishonest people and his youngest son has drooped his gold chain but it is difficult to expect honesty from such people who could steal jewellery of deity. SD says that he had found the chain and he returns it to AP .

- AN and MA are drinking and making fun of Naseer because he is not like them and he still lives with his wife and does not indulge in debauchery and does not exploit poor women. AN’s wife has been died and MA’s wife did not come back once she went to her father’s home. AM reaches there and scolds AN and MA and asks Naseer to go to his room where his wife would be waiting for him. Naseer goes to Smita Patil ’ his wife, who says that he should not follow his elder brothers as they behave and live like animals.

- AN and MA are visiting the village on their motor bike and they see a young woman working in the fields with her husband. They like her and call her husband and instruct him to send his wife to haveili in evening to help in the domestic affairs.

– AP is drinking and the lady, called by AN and MA is sent there and first AP satisfies his physical hunger with her. Later she goes to AN and MA. One can see how such scenes have influenced films like Matrubhoomi. Such exploitation of poor women has been common in feudal system.

Above mentioned scenes establish feudal atmosphere prevailing in the village and now comes a new family in the village.

-A school master Girish Karnad (GK) comes there along with his wife Shabana Azmi and son to join the school. They are riding on a tonga when in a narrow lane, AN and MA come from opposite direction on their motor bike and abuse tongawala to give them the side. That is their first encounter with GK and family!

- Unlike man and woman relationship prevailing in the home of landlord, here Girish Karnad gives full respect to his wife and her wishes. He is a gentle person and a responsible teacher. In the first night in the new village GK tries to embrace her but she says,” Leave it, you must be tired, I am also feeling sleepy”. He controls his desire and takes a turn and tries to sleep. He is not a man to impose his wishes on his wife. Shabana then touches his hand and says that she needs a big mirror and a new saree. He takes turn towards her and says that what is the need of a big mirror but she insists and he says that he will buy both the things after getting his salary. She becomes happy and hides her face in his chest.

- It is early morning and Shabana wakes up. Their positions on the bed have been swapped in the night and through this swapping director indicates about their intimate moments happened last night.
She leaves the bed, wakes her son up and sends him to Toilet. She makes breakfast and her son comes there in the kitchen only and she scolds him sweetly,”arre seedhe rasoi tak aa gaya badmash”. She goes with him and washes him and then gives him a bath. Perhaps this could be the first film in entire hindi cinema where an actress is shown doing washing job for a child. This scene is not kept without any significance and its importance will be revealed later.

- GK in the evening goes to an open market to buy vegetables and other necessary things and there he finds AN and MA taking things from poor vendors without paying anything. He asks one old man that why people don’t say anything to these oppressors. Old man says that perhaps he is a new person there.

- GK finds the car of landlords outside of the school. AN and MA are rebuking Kulhushan Kharbanda because he has not repaired the road. KK is instructed to collect villagers to fill the pits of the road. GK reaches there and says thanks to AN and MA because he thinks that this filling work is very important as children may get injuries. Cunning brothers laugh on his simplicity and instruct him to beat students if they don’t study properly. GK finds that his wife Shabana is standing on the window of the house and he signals her to go away from the window because he fears that these lusty men may look at her. He is talking to brothers and trying to secretly convey her to leave the window. But she does not understand her gestures. After landlord brothers leave, he comes to home and angrily asks Shabana that was it necessary for her to stand at the window? She is wife of a school teacher and such behavior does not suit her.
She also replies in anger that in that case he should bring her burka so that nobody sees her. He does not pursue matter ahead. None of them know the coming future.

- GK goes to school and a lady comes to invite Shabana, if she likes to go to temple. Shabana goes to temple and on her way she witnesses a quarrel and a man is beating his wife and landlord brothers are also there. Naseer sees Shabana and she catches him staring at her and shows anger through her eyes. At the same time MA also catches Naseer staring at Shabana and he asks him later if he has liked her? Both the brothers AN and MA are happy because if Naseer has started liking other woman than his wife then he can no longer be a moralistic man in the house. They are ready to pollute him and they conspire to abduct Shabana.

- GK along with his son is enjoying the dinner and Shabana is happily serving them. Door is knocked. GK wants to go to look who has come in the night but Shabana asks him to finish the food first and she goes to the door and she opens the door, landloard brothers AN and MA forcibly take her to their car. GK comes out after listening her screaming and sees the landlord’s sons abducting his wife. He tries to stop the brothers but they throw him back. He shouts for help and many villagers are on the road but nobody helps him. He runs after the car and reaches to landlord’s haveili and knocks heavily the doors but noone listens. He is helpless and a broken man and he curses the landlord but to no avail.

- He comes back to his house and curses villagers that none of them came to help him. His neighbor lady comes to take care of his son and he asks her to take care of his son for the night and he goes to police station. Officer does not file his complain and advises him to keep his mouth shut as it is not going to help him. He says that his wife will be back in few days and he should wait. When GK persists then officer asks him bluntly that will he accept his wife after she comes back from landlord’s heavily. He asks him that even if he accepts, will people allow him to do this? He says that now his wife is of no use for him and he should forget her. GK is frustrated but he is helpless before police.

- He goes to city to meet higher police officers and DM but after a long wait he meets DM for few seconds only and he is asked to submit an application.

- Broken GK comes back to home and as he has to live, he starts taking care of his son and follows daily routine which his wife used to follow. He wakes his son up, makes him ready, prepares food and then goes to school and carries his son with him.

- In the haveili AN and MA rape Shabana and motivate Naseer also to enjoy physical relation with Shabana. Naseer goes there but does not gather courage to touch her and comes back to her room where Smita scolds him. He shows his power on Smita as she is his wife. Shabana is left in a room and she fears and she closes the door from inside. In the morning Smita sends the lady servant to give tea and breakfast to Shabana but she does not open the door. Servant makes her understand that there is no use of such fasting as this will not help anyone and door can be broken and nobody is going to help her there. Shabana asks her to convey GK that she is alive and fine. Servant tells her next day that all is well at her home and GK is planning to marry again as Shabana is of no use for him now.

- Initially Smita keeps sympathy with Shabana but slowly Shabana gets the understanding that she cant escape from here and Naseer is not like his brothers. She accepts her position and fate and starts living in the heaveili as a keep of Naseer. Now she starts demanding attention and more rights from Naseer. Smita does not like this and she quarrels with Naseer when Shabana demands a separate kitchen for her. Smita guesses that she wants to control Naseer and house now. AP listens this fight and calls Naseer to know the matter and seeing Naseer’s adamant and biased behavior towards Shabana he says that she should be given only kitchen and this should be the last freedom given to her and she should not be given more rights and Naseer should not ignore Smita as after all she is his wife. Smita says that she wants to go to her parents house.

- Shabana asks Naseer to arrange for her to go to temple. Shabana does not leave any chance to show off to Smita that now her husband is actually a slave of her wishes and whatever she desires he has to fulfil it. Naseer sends Shabana to temple in the car. There Shabana meets GK. She asks about her son and home and then curses him that he did not do anything to save her from landlord’s cruel sons. She says that he is not a man otherwise he could have killed the people who had abducted her. GK tries to convince her that he did whatever was in his capacity.

- GK now meets the priest and convinces him to revive pride among villagers so that they stand against the oppression of landlord family. Priest and GK gather villagers and through speeches and dramas convince them that they don’t need to fear landlord and they have capability to rebel against the landlord. Villagers try to sideline landlord in social affairs and don’t invite AN and MA in bull fighting event. Both the brothers feel insulted but before a large crowd they are helpless and they come back to home and complain to AP that villagers did not invite them to the fair. AP does not listen to them and scolds them for their negligent and irresponsible behavior and having drinking habit and ask them to usurp lands of the farmers who have not paid the debt or tax or rent.

- GK and Priests manage to revive sense of self respect among villagers and they revolt against the landlord. Climax is shockingly different and to witness human behavior during difficult times one has to see the ending of the film. GK kills Amrish Puri. Villagers kill AN and MA. But what happen to Naseer, Shabana and Smita? Does GK get Shabana back? Does he accept her back as his wife? I remember reading somewhere that VT had written different ending but SB changed that to make a statement on woman’s liberty.

- Through Shabana and Smita’s characters VT and SB have shown the ups and downs in the relationships of two women caught in same house with same man. Their relationship needs an entire book to analyze and is a separate matter to discuss. Jealousy is there between them as both want to keep power over a common man between them. Naseer becomes man of attraction for both of them. When servant stops coming to landlord’s house then AN and MA instruct Naseer to instruct Smita to make tea for them. Smita is not well versed in cooking and kitchen works and Shabana comes to make tea. They understand necessities of each other. They swing between love and hate toward each other. When villagers attack the haveili then Shabana is eager to take Smita with her. She wants to save her. Smita is shocked to see her husband Naseer’s behavior in such a difficult time. Smita is also killed and Priest cries sitting besides her dead body.

Nishant means End of night. A new day comes out when night is ended and for villagers a new day comes when they end the cruel feudal rule of landlord but what about normal characters like Girish Karnad and his son, Shabana and to some extent Naseer also?
Does new day come for them also?

Performance wise Amrish Puri, Shabana, Smita and Naseer are wonderfully good and their performances scream loudly that why they have been treated as great actors of Hindi cinema? They have portrayed their characters in totality and have taken resorts of subtle gestures and have never been loud in any scene.
Girish Karnad fits very well in such a role of a sober school teacher and he has acted well.
Anant Nag and Mohan Agashe and Sadhu Mehar and Kulbhushan Kharbanda also have given good performances.
Pt Satyadev Dube is ok type in his small role but the dialogues, which he has written for the film, are simply good and they lift high the standard of the film.

Shyam Benegal, being the captain of team, has got a tremendous team of actors, writers and cameraman and has extracted a very good work from all of them and hence has been able to make an impressive piece of cinema.

Deep analysis and cruel but suitable depiction of human behavior among different situations has been a major point in most of the so called art films of Hindi cinema and Nishant is also such a film where we come out with better understanding about human behavior. These films are not merely for entertainment but they leave something of their existence inside the audience and they have to think about the issues shown in the film. Such has been the grip of some of the films made in 1970s by the so called art house. What we witness in real life that is shown with proper analysis in these films.

1970’s art house productions are part of a treasure on which Hindi cinema will feel proud one day.

Mr Vijay Tendulakar is no more but his creative work will always be alive in the memory of readers and audience.

May soul of this great creative genius rest in peace !