Renowned filmmaker Shyam Benegal, a towering figure in Indian cinema and a pioneer of parallel cinema, passed away on Monday (December 23). He was 90 and is survived by his wife Nira and daughter Pia.
Benegal passed away at Mumbai’s Wockhardt Hospital due to chronic kidney disease, Pia told news agency PTI. “He passed away at 6.38 pm at Wockhardt Hospital Mumbai Central. He had been suffering from chronic kidney disease for several years but it had gotten very bad,” she said.
Wockhardt Hospital sources said Benegal had been admitted in the ICU. Pia also told PTI that he had to frequently visit the hospital and was on dialysis.
A rich legacy hard to match
Known for his socially conscious storytelling and deep exploration of human emotions, Benegal leaves behind a legacy that has profoundly influenced generations of filmmakers and audiences alike.
Also read: Shyam Benegal at 90: 12 films by the auteur who gave Indian cinema an alternative idiom
In his prolific career, Benegal made films on diverse issues, documentaries and television serials, including Bharat Ek Khoj and Samvidhaan. He had celebrated his 90th birthday just 10 days ago on December 14.
His films include Trical, Kalyuga, Bhumika, Junoon, Mandi, Suraj Ka Satvaan Ghoda, Mammaand Sardari Begummost counted as classics in Hindi cinema.
The director’s most recent work was the 2023 biographical Mujib: The Making of a Nation.
Ankurthe birth of “parallel cinema” movement
Born on December 14, 1934, in Hyderabad, Benegal began his career in advertising before transitioning into the world of cinema.
Also read: Shyam Benegal interview: ‘Why I made Sheikh Mujibur Rahman biopic in Bengali’
His debut feature film, Ankur (1974), marked the beginning of a new wave in Indian cinema, often referred to as the “parallel cinema” movement. The film’s stark realism and focus on societal issues earned critical acclaim and established Benegal as a filmmaker who dared to challenge the status quo.
In addition to his contributions to cinema, Benegal was a prolific documentarian and television director.
Condolences pour in
Tributes started pouring in as soon as news spread of Benegal’s demise.
Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur tweeted: “He created ‘the new wave’ cinema. Shyam Benegal will always be remembered as the man that changed the direction of Indian Cinema with films like Ankur, Manthan and countless others. He created stars out great actors like Shabama Azmi and Smita Patil. Farewell my friend and guide.”
Another renowned filmmaker Sudhir Mishra tweeted, “If there is one thing Shyam Benegal expressed best: it was the Poetry of the ordinary face and ordinary lives!”
Politicians Mallikarjun Kharge, Mamata Banerjee, and Shashi Tharoor posted their condolences too.
Manoj Bajpayee recalls Zubeida days
Actor Manoj Bajpayee, who worked with Benegal in the 2001 film Zubeidaa, said he never imagined himself playing a royal but it took the genius of Shyam Benegal to see beyond his looks and convince him to take the role.
The actor met Benegal a couple of years after his breakout role as the mafia don Bhiku Mhatre in the 1998 crime classic Satya by Ram Gopal Varma.
“He sent me a message through Ram Gopal Varma. And Varma told me only one thing, ‘Shyam Benegal wants to work with you. He wants to cast you in some role. I don’t know what the film is all about but you are not going to say no to anything that he offers. That should be our regard and respect to that filmmaker, so you are going to say yes. You are not going to say no.’ And I was so grateful to Ram Gopal Varma that I decided that I will do whatever he gives me,” Bajpayee told PTI.
“His genius to see me beyond my looks”
So, the actor did say yes to Benegal’s film but was taken aback when he found that the role was that of Prince Vijayendra Singh of Fatehpur opposite Karisma Kapoor.
“It was his genius to see me beyond my looks. He was very convinced that it is Manoj Bajpayee who will do this role. It was me who was doubting that. He told me, ‘These are the photographs of all the kings of India and you tell me whether you are better looking than them or not.’ He did that to just calm me down about the casting. I was very doubtful about his casting,” the 55-year-old said.
(With agency inputs)
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