Urmila, back with Banaras

The very setting of Banaras makes sure Pankuj Parashar's film will be visually arresting.

Shot in the holy town now known as Varanasi, it stars Urmila, Naseeruddin Shah, Dimple Kapadia, Raj Babbar and Ashmit Patel.

Dimple Kapadia, also starring in the upcoming Being Cyrus, and Raj Babbar play a rich Brahmin couple.

In the film's landscape, they represent orthodox convention.

Urmila plays their daughter, Shwetambari.

An intelligent girl, she studies science at the local university. Life goes swimmingly for her, until she falls in love.

Ashmit Patel is Soham, the object of her affection.

A music teacher at the university, he is a low-caste mystic and disciple of Babaji, played by Naseeruddin Shah.

A defiant union like this breaks too many taboos in Banaras, and chaos surrounds the young couple. Shwetambari's parents try to help them, but to no avail. Destiny seems against her.

Devastated, the girl abandons her hometown.

Time goes by and, after almost two decades, Shwetambari, now a teacher of philosophy, comes to a crossroads.

Does she return to Banaras to meet her dying father? Or continue denying herself all attachments?

The film is a meditation on relationships and spirituality, divinity and denial.

Banaras is scheduled to hit theatres on April 7.