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<div>{{Use Indian English|date=November 2015}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}<br />
{{Infobox film<br />
| image = Nishant cover.jpg<br />
| image_size = <br />
| caption = DVD cover<br />
| director = [[Shyam Benegal]]<br />
| producer = Mohan J. Bijlani <br />Freni Variava<br />
| writer = [[Vijay Tendulkar]] <br />[[Satyadev Dubey]] (dialogues)<br />
| screenplay = <br />
| narrator = <br />
| starring = {{Plainlist|<br />
* [[Girish Karnad]]<br />
* [[Shabana Azmi]]<br />
* [[Anant Nag]]<br />
* [[Amrish Puri]]<br />
* [[Smita Patil]]<br />
* [[Naseeruddin Shah]]<br />
}}<br />
| music = [[Vanraj Bhatia]]<br />
| cinematography = [[Govind Nihalani]]<br />
| editing = Bhanudas Divakar<br />
| distributor = <br />
| released = {{Film date|1975|9|5|df=y|[[India]]}} <br />
| runtime = 143 min <br />
| country = India<br />
| language = [[Hindi]] <br />
| budget = <br />
}}<br />
'''''Nishant''''' (English: Night's End) is a [[1975 in film|1975]] Hindi drama film directed by [[Shyam Benegal]], based on an original screenplay by noted playwright [[Vijay Tendulkar]], with dialogues by [[Satyadev Dubey]].<ref name=hindu/><br />
<br />
The film features an ensemble of parallel cinema actors including [[Girish Karnad]], [[Amrish Puri]], [[Shabana Azmi]], [[Anant Nag]] and [[Sadhu Meher]] with [[Smita Patil]] and [[Naseeruddin Shah]] (In his film debut). This film focuses on the power of the rural elite and the sexual exploitation of women, during the time of [[feudalism in India]].<br />
<br />
The film won the 1977 [[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi]]. The film was selected to compete for the [[Palme d'Or]] at the [[1976 Cannes Film Festival]]. The film was invited to the [[London Film Festival]] of 1976, the [[Melbourne International Film Festival]] of 1977, and the [[Chicago International Film Festival]] of 1977, where it was awarded the Golden Plaque.<ref>[http://www.reachouthyderabad.com/newsmaker/nm66a.htm Shyam Benegal Awards]</ref><br />
<br />
== Plot ==<br />
Vishwam ([[Naseeruddin Shah]]) is the youngest brother of the powerful and influential village [[Zamindar]] ([[Amrish Puri]]). The Zamindar will not hesitate to do anything for the welfare and protection of his family, which also includes bending the law to his own advantage. The shy and quiet Vishwam is married to Rukmani ([[Smita Patil]]) and, unlike his brothers Anjaiya ([[Anant Nag]]) and Prasad ([[Mohan Agashe]]), does not indulge in alcohol or women.<br />
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The village gets a new schoolmaster ([[Girish Karnad]]), who has a wife, Sushila ([[Shabana Azmi]]). When Vishwam sees her for the first time, he is unable to take his eyes off her, and unable to get her out of his mind. Sushila does not reciprocate his attentions. One night, while the schoolmaster is enjoying a quiet dinner with his family, the bell rings and the two older brothers of Vishwam grab Sushila and take her forcibly when she goes to answer the door. Several people are present, but no one dares to raise a hand nor even a voice to stop this abduction. The distraught schoolteacher, who is denied justice by everyone from the local police officer to the district collector, is helped by the old priest ([[Satyadev Dubey]]) and finally they succeed in mobilizing the villagers and they slaughter their oppressors. In the end the frenzied villagers also kill the innocent Rukmani as well as Sushila whom her husband tried to rescue.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073458/plotsummary Plot summary]</ref><br />
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==Cast ==<br />
*[[Girish Karnad]] <small>as</small> School master<br />
*[[Shabana Azmi]] <small>as</small> Sushila, School master's wife<br />
* [[Anant Nag]] <small>as</small> Anjaiya, younger brother of Zamindar<br />
* [[Amrish Puri]] <small>as</small> Eldest Zamindar<br />
* [[Satyadev Dubey]] <small>as</small> Village Priest (Pujari)<br />
* [[Smita Patil]] <small>as</small> Rukmini, Vishwam's wife<br />
* [[Mohan Agashe]]<small> as</small> Prasad, younger brother of Zamindar<br />
* [[Kulbhushan Kharbanda]] <small>as</small> Police Patel<br />
* [[Naseeruddin Shah]] <small>as</small> Vishwam, youngest brother of Zamindar<br />
* [[Sadhu Meher]] - Special appearance, who is accused of stealing temple jewellery <br />
* Savita Bajaj as Pochamma<br />
* Master Altaf as Sushila's son<br />
<br />
== Production ==<br />
<br />
[[Smita Patil]] and [[Naseeruddin Shah]] made debut in this film.<br />
<br />
The shooting location is Pochampalli village in Andhra Pradesh, known as 'weavers village' and is popular for its hand woven sarees.<br />
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== Soundtrack ==<br />
The movie has only one song at the end "Piya Baj Pyala" sung by [[Preeti Sagar]] and the music is given by Vanraj Bhatia.<br />
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== Reception==<br />
{{More sources|section|date=January 2021}}<br />
The film, is one of the landmark films of Indian art house cinema has received praise from all quarters. The daily newspaper ''[[The Hindu]]'' praised the movie greatly in its article dated 4 October 2012, in the following words: "Miles removed from the work of everyday filmmakers, for many of whom cinema is nothing more than a hero waiting in eager anticipation of the heroine and post-dinner desserts, Benegal's "Nishant" (Night's End) is a dawn that did not come an hour too soon. The National Award for the best film, the nomination for the Oscars were just rewards for a film that lived up to its name. "<ref name=hindu>{{cite web | title = Nishant (1975) |work=The Hindu <br />
| url = http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/nishant-1975/article3965004.ece |author=Ziya Us Salam|date=4 October 2012| access-date = 2014-09-27 }}</ref><br />
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== Accolades ==<br />
<br />
{{awards table}}<br />
|-<br />
| 1975<br />
| Freni M. Variava, Mohan J. Bijlani<br />
| [[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi]]<br />
| {{won}}<br />
|-<br />
| rowspan="4"|1976<br />
| Freni M. Variava, Mohan J. Bijlani<br />
|[[Bengal Film Journalists' Association – Best Indian Films Award]]<ref name=bfja/><br />
|{{won}}<br />
|-<br />
| [[Shyam Benegal]]<ref name=bfja>{{cite web|title=39th Annual BFJA Awards |url=http://www.bfjaawards.com/legacy/pastwin/197639.htm|publisher=[[BFJA Awards|BFJA]]|access-date=2012-01-06|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080119012515/http://www.bfjaawards.com/legacy/pastwin/197639.htm |archivedate=2008-01-19}}</ref><br />
| Best Director (Hindi section) - [[Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards]]<br />
| {{won}}<br />
|-<br />
| [[Vijay Tendulkar]]<br />
| Best Screenplay (Hindi section) - [[Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards]]<br />
| {{won}}<br />
|-<br />
| [[Shyam Benegal]]<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073458/awards Nishant - Awards] [[Internet Movie Database]]</ref><br />
| [[Palme d'Or]]<br />
| {{nom}}<br />
|}<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
* {{IMDb title|id=0073458|title=Nishant}}<br />
* [http://www.filmigeek.net/2006/10/nishant.html Review at Filmi Geek]<br />
<br />
{{Shyam Benegal}}<br />
{{National Film Award Best Feature Film Hindi}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:1975 films]]<br />
[[Category:1975 drama films]]<br />
[[Category:1970s Hindi-language films]]<br />
[[Category:Hindi-language films]]<br />
[[Category:Gang rape in fiction]]<br />
[[Category:Indian films]]<br />
[[Category:Indian drama films]]<br />
[[Category:Films about social issues in India]]<br />
[[Category:Films about women in India]]<br />
[[Category:Films directed by Shyam Benegal]]<br />
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Vijay Tendulkar]]<br />
[[Category:Best Hindi Feature Film National Film Award winners]]<br />
[[Category:Hindi-language drama films]]</div>103.52.247.107