Parallel cinema pioneer Shyam Benegal dies days after 90th birthday

His films include “Bhumika”, “Junoon”, “Mandi”, “Suraj Ka Satvaan Ghoda”, “Mammo”, “Sardari Begum” and “Zubeidaa”, most counted as classics in Hindi cinema.

His biopics include “The Making of the Mahatma” and “Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero”.

The director’s most recent work was the 2023 biographical “Mujib: The Making of a Nation”.

He was also keen to bring to life the story of Noor Inayat Khan, the secret WW II agent.

That dream will sadly remain unfulfilled.

Benegal’s “Manthan” on Varghese Kurien’s milk cooperative movement in Anand, Gujarat, starring Smita Patil, Girish Karnad and Naseeruddin Shah, was restored and screened at the Cannes Classics segment in the French riviera town in May this year.

Tributes to Shyam Babu, as he was known to friends and colleagues, who rewrote the rules of Indian movies poured in.

Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur said Benegal created ‘new wave’ cinema and will always be remembered as the man who changed the direction of Hindi cinema with films like “Ankur” and “Manthan”.

“He created stars out of great actors like Shabana Azmi and Smita Patil. Farewell my friend and my guide,” he added.

President Droupadi Murmu on Monday condoled the demise of veteran filmmaker Shyam Benegal and said his passing away marks the end of a glorious chapter of Indian cinema and television.

Murmu said Benegal started a new kind of cinema and crafted several classics.

“A veritable institution, he groomed many actors and artists. His extraordinary contribution was recognised in the form of numerous awards including Dadasaheb Phalke Award and Padma Bhushan. My condolences to the members of his family and his countless admirers,” the President said in a post on X.

Actor-director Atul Tiwari said, “It is difficult to believe but our icon Mr Shyam Benegal is no more. Go well Shyam babu. Thank you (for) inspiring many like me. Thank you for the cinema. Thank you for giving tough stories and flawed characters such amazing dignity. Truly among the last of our greats.”

Akshay Kumar described him as one of the finest filmmakers in the country.

“If there is one thing Shyam Benegal expressed best: it was the Poetry of the ordinary face and ordinary lives,” director Sudhir Mishra said.

“Much will be written about Shyam Benegal but for me not many talk about the fact that there was a lament in his films and a sadness about the fact we were not living in the best of all possible worlds,” he added.