India, April 17 -- Sharmila Tagore has always been such a radiant presence on screen. As an actor she has dabbled between mainstream commercial roles in the 70s and stood her ground in critically acclaimed films with the likes of Satyajit Ray. The camera loves her unconditionally, a feature that is evident more than ever before in Suman Ghosh's Puratawn (The Ancient)- a film that confronts the actor with a sharp and wondrous gaze. Sharmila brings in a lifetime's worth of experience and precariousness into this role, and delivers a performance that feels like a career-high.

The film positions her as an octogenarian who is slowly losing her memory and grasp over things. Does she have dementia? Why is she so scared of being reminded of the ...