Mandi (1983)

Director: Shyam Benegal
Cast: Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah,Smita Patil, Kulbhushan Kharbanda,Ompuri,Amrish Puri,Neena Gupta and many more.

The film, a comedy, set in a semi urban locality in Andhra Pradesh, has a wonderful plot revolving around a brothel house and its inmates.
It has a casting that includes every worthwhile actor in Indian cinema... well almost. We have Shabana azmi, Smita patil, Naseeruddin shah, saaed jaffrey , kulbhushan kharbanda , neena gupta, ompuri, amrish puri, Ila arun - all play more or less important roles.
And yes, there's Pankaj kapur in a GREAT cameo.. Easily the best cameo in the history of cinema - and one of the highlights of the movie.

Other highlights are:

• Shabana azmi as Rukminibai , a lady who runs a brothel house- her acting , her character, her accent, her attire, her bindi, her chemistry with other characters, the way she walks,the way she looks in a mirror everytime she passes one, her singing(!!) - AMAZING!!!!
• Naseeruddin shah - SOLID performance as "Tungroos", a faithful, multipurpose servant in the rukminibai household and ofcourse, mostly, drunk
• Smita patil - she acted like a dream - to use a cliche. The way she giggles, her expression while singing, her romances, her relationships with the male characters,the chase involving her in the climax.... Movie is a must watch , just for her.
• Sayed jaffrey - wonderful as usual.... His expressions as the chairman of some municipality board are fantastic.
• Music : Music by vanraaj Bhatia , with a lot of classical touch, is great to say the least. And there a few ghazals placed wonderfully in the plot.
• Ila Arun and her labour pains
• Ompuri and his photography..
• Amrishpuri and his philosophy
• Kilbhushan kharbanda ,his business negotiations and those with a parrot in the rukminibai's place.
• Yeah that parrot is another highlight...
• the way each character is written ( and the role each character plays in the story)

and I missed a few others - each of them, by itself , a reason to watch the movie.
( But what are a few hundred reasons between friends?)

PS: Don't decide upon the best indian movie ever before watching this one..