In Custody

Ismail Merchant's feature directorial debut addresses a subject close to his heart: the expressive Urdu language of Northern India, in danger of extinction as political trends and modernization obscure its contributions to Indian culture. Merchant 's treatment is wry and good humored , as his characters - an aging Urdu poet (Shashi Kapoor) and a worshipful young college lecturer - clash despite their shared passion for the beauty of words.

Director: Ismail Merchant

Cast: Shashi Kapoor, Om Puri, Shabana Azmi, Neena Gupta, Sushma Seth, Tinnu Anand, Prayag Raj, Parikshat Sahni

Audience-only score — full critic data not yet in the ReelXO vault.