Celebrating the 49th anniversary of Shyam Benegal’s iconic film Nishant, veteran actress Shabana Azmi on Thursday reflected on the film’s impact on Indian cinema and the current situation of the entertainment industry in the era of OTT.

Released in 1975, Nishant was Benegal’s second film after Ankur and played a significant role in cementing his reputation as a pioneering figure in the parallel cinema movement, Azmi wrote in her Instagram post.

She also highlighted Benegal’s unique approach of casting newcomers and nurturing their talent. Azmi expressed her disappointment over many streaming services focusing on established stars, directors, and production houses, thereby overlooking the chance to give fresh talent the platform they deserve.

“49 years since Nishant was released . 2nd film after Ankur - it firmly established Shyam Benegal as the leading light of what got to be referred to as parallel cinema . Shyam took newcomers and established them as stars in their own right - a chance that OTT platforms have to do but they are running mostly after established stars and directors and production houses and missing this big opportunity. What a pity,” the veteran actress wrote alongside a poster of the film.

Nishant is a landmark in Indian parallel cinema, exploring themes of power, oppression and societal corruption. Set in a village, the film follows a school teacher whose wife is abducted by the local landlord and his brothers. Nishant highlights the helplessness of ordinary citizens in the face of tyranny, with a powerful ensemble cast featuring Shabana Azmi, Girish Karnad, Amrish Puri, and Naseeruddin Shah.

Nishant won the 1977 National Film Award for best feature film in Hindi. It was also nominated for the Palme d’Or at the 1976 Cannes Film Festival.