In Custody (or Muhafiz) is a 1993 film by Merchant Ivory Productions. It was directed by Ismail Merchant, with screenplay by Anita Desai and Shahrukh Husain. It is based upon Desai's 1984 Booker Prize nominated novel In Custody.
Contents
Plot synopsis
Deven's (Om Puri) position as a professor of Hindi at a local college is only a means to an end. His first love is the Urdu language and in particular Urdu poetry. Deven's multiple (and often stymied) attempts to interview the great Urdu poet, Nur (Shashi Kapoor), act as a metaphor for the clash between modernization and tradition.
Release
The film opened on 3 screens in New York City on 14 May 1994 and grossed $7,701 for the weekend. It opened on 3 screens in London on 3 June 1994 and grossed £2,814 in its opening weekend. It grossed $92,612 in the United States.
Awards
1993: Tokyo Film Festival in Kyoto (Official Selection) nomination
1994: National Film Award
Special Jury Award: Shashi Kapoor
Best Art Direction: Suresh Sawant
Musicians and vocalists
Sultan Khan - sarangi
Sunil Das - sitar
Ulhas Bapat - santoor
Ronu Majumdar - flute
Fazal Qureshi - tabla
Taufiq Qureshi - percussion
Pyush Kanojia - keyboard
Zakir Hussain - tabla
Sadiq Qureshi - daf
Vocalists
Suresh Wadkar, Kavita Krishnamurthy, Hariharan, Shankar Mahadevan
The film also features poetry by Faiz Ahmad Faiz.