Noted filmmaker Shyam Benegal passed away on Monday. His daughter Pia Benegal confirmed to India Today that he died at approximately 6:30 pm at Wockhardt Hospital in Mumbai.
One of the most prominent figures in Indian cinema, Benegal is celebrated for pioneering the parallel cinema movement. His films like Ankur, Mandi and ManthanThe 1970s and 1980s became iconic works, setting a new direction in Indian filmmaking.
The filmmaker celebrated his 90th birthday last December 14 surrounded by close friends and family. The gathering included prominent actors like Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Naseeruddin Shah, Divya Dutta, Shabana Azmi, Rajit Kapur, Atul Tiwari and Shashi Kapoor's son actor-filmmaker Kunal Kapoor.
Benegal's contribution to cinema was recognized by the Government of India, which awarded him the Padma Shri in 1976 and the Padma Bhushan in 1991. His legacy includes a diverse body of work with successful films like Manthan, Zubeidaa, and Sardar Begum.
Born on December 14, 1934 in Hyderabad, Shyam Bengal came from a Konkani-speaking Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin family. His father Sridhar B Benegal, a photographer from Karnataka, introduced him to the world of visual storytelling. At the age of 12, Shyam made his first film with a camera gifted to him by his father. Although he graduated with a master's degree in economics from Osmania University, Hyderabad, it was his passion for cinema that inspired him to set up the Hyderabad Film Society, marking the beginning of his illustrious film career.
Includes some of his most famous works Ankur, Manthan, Junoon, Sooraj Ka Satwan Ghoda, Mandiand more, inspiring generations of filmmakers and audiences alike.