Although India produces more films than any other country in the world, until very recently, Satyajit Ray was the only Indian director of world class reputation. Lately, a second Indian director has emerged in international circuits with refreshingly different films. His name is Shyam Benegal, and his first feature film, “Ankur” (the Seedling) is having its Austin premiere Monday in the Union Theatre.

     Before “Ankur,” Benegal had made more than 600 advertising films and 26 documentaries. For a short time, he had also worked for television in Boston and New York. In the brief period of six years he has marked out a distinct and firm place for himself in Indian cinema. Last year, International Film Guide named him as one of the directors of the year along with such notables as Werner Herzog, Fons Rademakers and Martin Scorcese.

     “Ankur” is the story of Surya (Anant Nag), a young college graduate who is sent by his wealthy, landowner father to manage a village farm. His young wife is to join him after several months when she comes of age. Surya, being an educated city-bred man, declares himself above class differences and is drawn toward his attractive maid-servant (Shabana Azmi), wife of a low caste, drunken, deaf-mute farm hand. The deaf-mute is driven out of the village in punishment for a pilfering incident. In his absence, Surya takes the beautiful maid to bed, and she conceives. When his young wife arrives in the village, Surya spurns the maid and her unborn child.

     Benegal criticizes the caste system and exposes the hypocrisies of the ruling class with no hint of rhetoric or heavy-handedness. “Ankur” is a powerful, emotionally complex work, beautifully filmed and stunningly acted. Shot almost entirely on location, the film captures the lush green beauty of the Indian countryside in which the multi-colored saris of the women stand out like rainbows.

     In this, her first film, Shabana Azmi gives a powerful performance as the maid-servant and firmly establishes herself as one of the finest actresses in India. She gives the central relationship its suppressed sensuality and force in a delicately restrained, interior style.

     “Ankur” is probably the most effective condemnation of the caste system ever made – and the implications are not for India alone. It is, above all, an important work of art and should not be missed by anyone interested in cinema.