Sardari’s life has many parallels with that of another real-life female artist, Hansa Wadkar. Benegal’s earlier film Bhumika (1977), on the unconventional Marathi actress, shows how the rebellious Wadkar was also constantly at odds with the men in her life who tried to control her.
They expected her to adhere to their notions of how a woman should lead her life. In Sardari Begum, Tehzeeb perfectly points out to her father (Sardari’s brother) that society expects women to essay the ‘bhumika’ (role— an obedient girl to her parents, an ideal wife to her husband, and a sacrificing mother to her child.
If a woman tries to break free from these conventions and live differently, she gets condemned by the moral custodians of society. Even in her illegitimate relationship with the landlord Hemraj (Amrish Puri), Sardari never gained total freedom as she was restricted to performing only at his home and could never sing at concerts.
The narrative of Sardari Begum cannot be complete without…