In Custody

Ismail Merchant's feature directorial debut, In Custody, is a wry exploration of the clash between tradition and modernity, and of romanticism versus reality. University scholar Deven (Om Puri) is tasked by a magazine editor to interview the greatest living Urdu poet, the aging Nur (Shashi Kapoor). Thrilled to meet his idol and rekindle his interest in the dying Urdu language, Deven's ideals are shattered when the poet proves to be a difficult subject. Forging ahead, and meeting numerous setbacks along the way, the unlikely pair eventually form a bond over their mutual appreciation for the beauty and power of words, and those elusive things that touch the human heart.