SUSMAN (The Essence) A film by Shyam Benegal 1987. 140 min

Shyam Benegal’s SUSMAN is a highly regarded film. It provides a deep insight into the travails of the “Ikat” handloom weavers of Pochampally. From yarn to loom to final product, Susman captures the backlash of irregular and inadequate state support for the handloom industry in the 1980s. The film has a host of powerful performances including Om Puri, Shabana Azmi and Kulbhushan Kharbanda. The words of Mandira, a designer, played by Neena Gupta, resonate even more powerfully today : “We must make space for creative persons … so they can function even in an industrialised society... (along with) a method by which markets should be made available to craftsmen who work with their own hands. Do you think we should allow our remaining skilled craftsmen to die out or become historical anachronisms?” The film was selected for the Indian Panorama at Filmotsav 1987, Invited to the London Film Festival, the Chicago Film Festival, the Vancouver International Film Festival, the Sydney & Melbourne Film Festivals 1987. It was remade as Kancheevaram in Tamil by Priyadarshan.

Written by Shama Zaidi Music : Vanraj Bhatia Cinematography : Ashok Mehta Editor : Bhanudas Divak Cast : Shabana Azmi - Gauramma Om Puri - Ramulu Kulbhushan Kharbanda - Narasimha Neena Gupta -Mandira Mohan Agashe - President of Handloom Cooperative Society K.K. Raina Annu Kapoor - Lakshmaya Ila Arun Anita Kanwar Pankaj Kapur Jayant Kripalani Satish Kaushik

Screening of Shyam Bengal’s masterful film from 1987 on the travails of the weavers of Pochampally, and the handloom industry. Followed by a discussion.

7.30 pm, Thursday, 18 July, 2019 at LAMAKAAN (off Road No. 1, Banjara Hills, Opposite GVK One, Hyderabad – 500034)