Shyam Benegal, who heralded the Indian parallel cinema movement in the 1970s and 1980s with films like Ankur, Nishant and Manthan, died on Monday, his daughter Pia Benegal said. He was 90.
The legendary film-maker passed away at Mumbai's Wockhardt Hospital due to chronic kidney disease, she informed.
"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. That's the reason for his death," Pia Benegal said.
In his prolific career, Benegal made films on diverse issues, documentaries and television serials, including Bharat Ek Khoj and Samvidhaan. His films like Bhumika, Junoon, Mandi, Suraj Ka Satvaan Ghoda, Mammo and Sardari Begum are counted as classics in Hindi cinema.
Shyam Benegal, one of India’s most celebrated filmmakers, breathed his last at the age of 90 today, Shyam began his extraordinary journey in cinema at the tender age of 12, crafting his first film with a camera gifted by his father, Sridhar B. Benegal. Born on December 14, 1934, in Hyderabad to a Konkani-speaking Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin family, Benegal’s early exposure to photography and storytelling set the stage for his iconic career in Indian cinema.
Sridhar B. Benegal, a photographer with an artistic eye, recognized his son’s curiosity about visual storytelling and encouraged him by presenting a camera. Young Shyam Sunder Benegal, as he was known then, used this gift to create his first short film, sparking a lifelong passion for filmmaking.
Recalling his childhood in interviews, Benegal often credits his father’s support and the creative freedom he enjoyed for nurturing his talent. “That camera was my window to a world of imagination. It taught me how to frame life and tell stories visually,” he once said.
Benegal’s early fascination with cinema and his innovative spirit eventually led him to revolutionize Indian filmmaking with groundbreaking works such as Ankur (1974), Manthan (1976), and Bhumika (1977). Known for blending realism with powerful social commentary, his films brought a new wave of storytelling to Indian cinema, earning him accolades and respect worldwide.
Today, Shyam Benegal’s legacy as a pioneer of meaningful cinema stands tall, but it all began with a 12-year-old boy experimenting with a camera—a gift that not only captured moments but also unlocked a visionary artist’s potential.
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