Renowned filmmaker Shyam Benegal, a pioneer of Indian parallel cinema, passed away at 90 in Mumbai on Monday evening, following a prolonged struggle with chronic kidney disease. The news was confirmed by his daughter, Pia Benegal, who shared, “Yes, he has died. The loss is too great. He had been unwell for a few years. Had chronic kidney disease. It had become severe and we knew this would happen. He passed away today at 6.38 pm at Wockhardt Hospital Bombay Central.”
Benegal, celebrated for reshaping Indian cinema through a blend of realism and social commentary, had just marked his 90th birthday on 14 December with an intimate gathering of family and industry stalwarts. Veteran actress Shabana Azmi, whose career began with Benegal’s acclaimed film Ankur, shared a snapshot from the event featuring fellow actor Naseeruddin Shah. This gathering was a testament to the deep connections Benegal fostered throughout his storied career.
Over the decades, Benegal crafted a remarkable legacy that included films such as Ankur, Nishant, Bhumika, Manthan, and Mandi, each of which contributed to the 1970s and 1980s parallel cinema movement in India. His body of work, marked by narratives grounded in socio-political realities, earned him numerous accolades, including multiple National Awards. His productions like Bhumika: The Role (1977), Junoon (1978), and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero (2004) were widely praised, with Manthan (1976) becoming a symbol of grassroots empowerment, inspired by Dr. Verghese Kurien’s pioneering milk cooperative movement.
The 1976 release of Manthan, which featured Naseeruddin Shah and Smita Patil, gained renewed attention earlier this year when a restored version was showcased at the Cannes Film Festival under the Cannes Classics section. Benegal, unable to attend due to health reasons, reminisced about the film’s unique journey, noting how farmers in Gujarat had collectively watched the film in theaters, turning it into an unexpected success. The film had also been India’s official entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 1976 Academy Awards.
Born on 14 December, 1934, in Hyderabad, Shyam Benegal hailed from a Konkani-speaking Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin family. His father, Sridhar B. Benegal, a photographer, played a pivotal role in nurturing his son’s fascination with cinema. At 12, Shyam created his first short film with a camera gifted by his father, laying the groundwork for a lifelong passion that would evolve into a masterful career. He later earned a Master’s degree in Economics from Osmania University, where he founded the Hyderabad Film Society, igniting his early endeavors in film.
Benegal’s enduring impact was acknowledged by the Indian government through prestigious honors, including the Padma Shri in 1976 and the Padma Bhushan in 1991. His work continued to resonate until his final days, with his 2023 biographical drama Mujib: The Making of a Nation standing as his last directorial venture. On his recent birthday, he had expressed to PTI, “We all grow old. I don’t do anything great (on my birthday). It may be a special day but I don’t celebrate it specifically. I cut a cake at the office with my team. I’m working on two to three projects; they are all different from one another. It’s difficult to say which one I will make. They are all for the big screen.”
With Shyam Benegal’s passing, Indian cinema has lost one of its most visionary storytellers, whose films transcended entertainment to become vehicles for cultural reflection and societal dialogue.
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