India New Wave cinema is incomplete without the mention of legendary filmmaker Shyam Benegal. He left an indelible mark on the film industry with his realistic storytelling and socially relevant themes. His films were instrumental in shaping the parallel cinema movement in India during the 1970s and 1980s.
Benegal passed away at a Mumbai hospital due to chronic kidney disease on Monday, a week after celebrating his 90th birthday. The filmmaker has received the prestigious Padma Bhushan and Dadasaheb Phalke Award, along with 18 National Film Awards during his illustrious career.
Here’s a look at 10 of his best films that continue to inspire filmmakers and audiences alike:
Ankur (1974)
Director: Shyam Benegal
Cast: Shabana Azmi, Anant Nag, Sadhu Meher
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
Where to Watch: Youtube
Plot: A tale of caste conflict and exploitation in rural Andhra Pradesh. The story revolves around Surya, a landlord’s son, and Lakshmi, a lower-caste woman caught in a web of power dynamics and societal norms.
Nishant (1975)
Cast: Girish Karnad, Shabana Azmi, Anant Nag
IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime
Plot: A gripping drama about social injustice in a rural village where a woman is abducted by powerful men. Her husband’s fight for justice highlights the struggles of the powerless against systemic oppression.
Manthan (1976)
Cast: Smita Patil, Naseeruddin Shah, Girish Karnad
IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
Where to Watch: Sea5
Plot: A film funded by farmers themselves, it tells the story of a young veterinary surgeon who starts a dairy co-operative in a village to empower rural communities.
Bhumika (1977)
Cast: Smita Patil, Anant Nag, Amrish Puri
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
Where to Watch: Youtube
Plot: Loosely based on the life of Marathi actress Hansa Wadkar, this biographical drama explores the challenges faced by women in the entertainment industry and their quest for identity and independence.
Kalyug (1981)
Cast: Shashi Kapoor, Rekha, Raj Babbar
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
Plot: A modern retelling of the Mahabharata set in the world of corporate rivalry between two business families during India’s License Raj era.
Mandi (1983)
Cast: Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil, Naseeruddin Shah
IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime
Plot: A satirical comedy about politics and prostitution that explores hypocrisy in society through the lives of women running a brothel in Hyderabad.
Junoon (1979)
Cast: Shashi Kapoor, Nafisa Ali, Shabana Azmi
IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
Plot: Set during the Indian Rebellion of 1857, this historical drama depicts an obsessed Nawab’s desire to marry an Anglo-Indian woman amidst the chaos of war and rebellion.
Mammo (1994)
Cast: Farida Jalal, Surekha Sikri, Amit Phalke
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
Plot: The first film in Benegal’s Muslim Women Trilogy tells the poignant story of Mammo, an elderly woman struggling with her identity after being displaced during Partition and seeking refuge with her family in India.
Sardari Begum (1996)
Cast: Kirron Kher, Amrish Puri, Rajit Kapoor
IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
Where to Watch: Youtube
Plot: The second installment in the trilogy focuses on Sardari Begum’s life as a courtesan trying to find her voice in a male-dominated world while navigating societal judgment.
Zubeidaa (2001)
Cast: Karisma Kapoor, Rekha, Manoj Bajpayee
IMDb Rating: 6.9/10
Plot: The final film in the trilogy is inspired by the real-life story of Zubeidaa Begum and her tumultuous life as she seeks love and freedom amidst personal tragedy and societal constraints.
Benegal is known for his portrayal of human emotions against complex socio-political backdrops.
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