Indian cinema icon Sharmila Tagore embraces a challenging role in Suman Ghosh‘s “The Ancient” (Puratawn), which has its India premiere at the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival. The veteran actor portrays a woman grappling with memory loss in director Suman Ghosh’s Bengali-language drama.
In “The Ancient,” Ritika (Rituparna Sengupta) and her husband Rajeev (Indraneil Sengupta) return to her ancestral home in West Bengal to celebrate her mother’s (Tagore) 80th birthday. Upon arrival, Ritika discovers her mother’s cognitive decline, forcing her to confront a new reality. As Ritika grapples with this revelation, she embarks on a journey of acceptance, coming to terms with her mother’s irreversible condition.
Ghosh is a festival veteran with 2011’s “Nobel Thief,” 2012’s “Uncle Shyamal Turns off the Lights,” 2015’s “Peace Haven,” 2016’s “Mi Amor,” 2019’s “Aadhaar” and 2023’s “Scavenger of Dreams” all premiering at Busan and 2024 documentary “Parama: A Journey with Aparna Sen” at Rotterdam. He scored a major commercial hit with “Kabuliwala,” which released in India during Christmas 2023.
“I liked the script, and I liked the narration,” Tagore told Variety, explaining her decision to take on the role. “I’ve also seen his ‘Kadambari’ and ‘Kabuliwala.’ I liked the director’s dedication to the kind of film he makes and also the script. I liked my role, and I hadn’t done this kind of film before.”
The actor found Ghosh’s approach refreshing. “He didn’t over-instruct,” Tagore said, describing her preparation for the role. While Ghosh provided her with some books for research, Tagore opted for a more intuitive approach. “I just sort of imagined the character. I felt that this is how she’ll walk, this is how she will speak.”
Tagore’s character in “The Ancient” grapples with memory loss, though the specific condition remains unnamed in the film. “I just lived the moment,” Tagore explained, emphasizing her focus on internalizing the script rather than extensive research.
Sharmila Tagore in “The World of Apu”
Everett Collection
Tagore, who is considered a national treasure of Indian cinema, debuted with Satyajit Ray’s “The World of Apu” (1959) and went on to star in his “The Goddess” (1960), “The Hero” (1966), “Days and Nights in the Forest” (1970) and “Company Limited” (1971). She also enjoyed a flourishing career in Hindi-language films in hits including “An Evening in Paris” (1967), “Aradhana” (1969), “Amar Prem” (1972) and “Mausam” (1975). She also featured in Mira Nair’s “Mississippi Masala” (1991) and served on the 2009 Cannes jury. Her most recent film was Disney+ Hotstar original “Gulmohar” (2023). “The Ancient” marks Tagore’s return to Bengali-language cinema after a considerable hiatus.
“Doing a Bengali film after so many years, to speak the language again, to perform in one’s own mother tongue – that was an added incentive,” Tagore said.
Tagore remains selective about her projects. Her recent appearance in “Gulmohar” (2023) was motivated by the chance to work with a new generation of actors. “It was the opportunity to work with so many younger people with today’s kind of energy. So that attracted me,” Tagore explained.
Reflecting on the evolution of Indian cinema, Tagore said, “The working conditions have changed so dramatically. Now you have air-conditioned studios, and there are lots of facilities that the younger people get today, which were absolutely absent in our days.”
Tagore’s son Saif Ali Khan and Soha Ali Khan are actors as is her granddaughter Sara Ali Khan. Her grandson Ibrahim Ali Khan is due to make his debut as a leading man imminently. When it comes to passing on her legacy to her children and grandchildren in the film industry, Tagore takes a thoughtful approach. “Sara reaches out sometimes,” she revealed.
However, Tagore emphasizes the importance of on-set experiences: “Unless you’re on the set, you can’t really say. You have to see the backdrop, how the others are reacting.” As for her son, Saif Ali Khan, Tagore noted, “Saif is a wonderful actor, and he really doesn’t need my advice.”
