Hari-Bhari
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Hari-Bhari (Fertility) is a 2000
Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...
film by
Shyam Benegal Shyam Benegal (14 December 1934 – 23 December 2024) was an Indian film director, screenwriter and documentary filmmaker. Often regarded as the pioneer of parallel cinema, he is widely considered as one of the greatest filmmakers post 1970s. H ...
, starring
Shabana Azmi Shabana Azmi (born 18 September 1950) is an Indian actress of film, television and theatre. Her career in the Hindi cinema, Hindi film industry has spanned Shabana Azmi filmography, over 160 films, mostly within independent and neorealist paral ...
, Rajit Kapur, Rajeshwari Sachdev,
Surekha Sikri Surekha Sikri (19 April 1945 16 July 2021) was an Indian actress widely known for her performance in theatre, films and television. She has received several awards, including a Filmfare Award and three National Film Awards. A veteran of Hind ...
and
Nandita Das Nandita Das (born 7 November 1969) is an Indian actress and director. She has acted in over 40 feature films in ten different languages. Das appeared in the films ''Fire'' (1996), ''Earth'' (1998), '' Bawandar'' (2000), '' Kannathil Muthamittal' ...
. The film revolves around the story of five women, belonging to different generations, each looking for emancipation and the right to run their lives their own way. The film's main theme is the issue of women's ' fertility rights' empowerment. The film won the 2000
National Film Award for Best Film on Family Welfare National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, c ...
at
47th National Film Awards The 47th National Film Awards, presented by Directorate of Film Festivals, the organisation set up by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, India to felicitate the best of Indian Cinema released in the year 1999. Ceremony took place on 18 ...
.


Plot

The movie tells the story of a middle aged Muslim woman Gazala (Shabana Azmi), who is ill-treated by her husband and sent back to her parents’ home, just because she is unable to give birth to a son. Gazala does have a daughter Salma (Rajeshwari Sachdev). The plot revolves around Gazala's stay at her mother's home and the problems faced by the women of the house, namely her mother and sisters-in-law. The film is a beautiful description of the problems faced by women in the name of fertility, or in a different sense the urge to have a male child, especially in rural India.
Shyam Benegal Shyam Benegal (14 December 1934 – 23 December 2024) was an Indian film director, screenwriter and documentary filmmaker. Often regarded as the pioneer of parallel cinema, he is widely considered as one of the greatest filmmakers post 1970s. H ...
provides a masterpiece, reflecting on the sorrowful plight of rural Indian women. The irony lies in the point where the movie begins with a scene which shows a bull being brought to impregnate a buffalo. Five different women, each with a different story depicting the harsh realities of a woman's life.


Cast

*
Shabana Azmi Shabana Azmi (born 18 September 1950) is an Indian actress of film, television and theatre. Her career in the Hindi cinema, Hindi film industry has spanned Shabana Azmi filmography, over 160 films, mostly within independent and neorealist paral ...
as Ghazala * Rajit Kapur as Khurshid * Rajeshwari Sachdev as Salma *
Surekha Sikri Surekha Sikri (19 April 1945 16 July 2021) was an Indian actress widely known for her performance in theatre, films and television. She has received several awards, including a Filmfare Award and three National Film Awards. A veteran of Hind ...
as Hasina *
Nandita Das Nandita Das (born 7 November 1969) is an Indian actress and director. She has acted in over 40 feature films in ten different languages. Das appeared in the films ''Fire'' (1996), ''Earth'' (1998), '' Bawandar'' (2000), '' Kannathil Muthamittal' ...
as Afsana * Seema Bhargava as Rampyari *
Lalit Tiwari Lalit Tiwari is an Indian film and television actor. His best-known television roles are that of Sanjaya in the series ''Mahabharat'' (1988–1990), and in the historical television series '' Bharat Ek Khoj - The Discovery of India'' (1988). ...
as Khaleej


References


External links

*
Shyam Benegal interview on ''Hari-Bhari''
at
Rediff.com Rediff.com, stylized as rediff.com, is an Indian news, information, entertainment, and shopping website. Founded by Ajit Balakrishnan in 1996, it was the first Indian website to become a mainstream news media organization. It is headquartered i ...
. 2000 films 2000s Hindi-language films Films directed by Shyam Benegal Films about women in India Reproductive rights Indian feminist films Women's rights in India Best Film on Family Welfare National Film Award winners {{2000s-Hindi-film-stub