Shyam Benegal, known for his work in both mainstream and art films is regarded as the pioneer of parallel cinema. Cinema lovers know Benegal for his realistic storytelling and insightful social commentary, which won him 18 national awards, including Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan. Benegal’s passing marks the end of an era of the Indian Cinema.
Iconic Works
Among Benegal’s famous works are 1973’s Ankur, 1975’s Nishant, 1976’s Manthan, 1977’s Bhumika, 1994’s Mammo, 1996’s Sardari Begum and 2001’s Zubeidaa.
Benegal began his directing career in 1973 with the groundbreaking Ankur (The Seedling), a shift from advertising films. With that movie, he introduced Shabana Azmi and brought many South Indian names into Bollywood’s frame, including Sadhu Meher and Anant Nag.
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Benegal’s first four feature films made him a benchmark for parallel cinema in India. He gave the country some of its best films in history cherished to date.
International Acclaim
Benegal’s legacy is known for his creative yet simple storytelling that captured the attention of audiences worldwide. Recently, Manthan took centre stage at the Cannes Classics Festival section. The film was inspired by Verghese Kurien’s revolutionary milk cooperative movement during India’s White Revolution. The collective effort reflected in the film’s theme of unity and empowerment made it a testament to the power of the people.
Shyam Benegal’s work was probing and intriguing, pushing people to think outside of what was happening around them Benegal once told Sangeeta Datta, the author of Shyam Benegal, “It would be ridiculously dogmatic and simplistic to think in terms of simple solutions. There are no simple solutions to complex problems.”
Despite receiving acclaim from the world and numerous awards, Benegal always remained courteous and accessible, even to students. Since 1977, he followed a routine that involved sitting in his office in Mumbai between 10 am to 6 pm. His cabin has a telephone, book-lined shelves and a desk for scripts. Even at the peak of his fame, he remained generous and polite to whoever he met.
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