Filmmaker Shyam Benegal passes away

A towering figure in Indian cinema and a doyen of the parallel cinema movement, Shyam Benegal’s influence on the industry was unparalleled. Over his illustrious career, he earned numerous accolades, including the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India’s highest honour in the field of cinema, and an impressive 18 National Film Awards.

Benegal made his directorial debut in feature films with Ankur (1974), which starred Anant Nag and Shabana Azmi in the lead roles. The film received widespread critical acclaim and won the National Film Award for Second Best Feature Film, before establishing itself as a landmark project in the careers of all those involved. His third film Nishant (1975) was an even greater milestone, earning a nomination for the Palme d’Or at the 1976 Cannes Film Festival. Featuring an ensemble cast of luminaries such as Girish Karnad, Shabana Azmi, Anant Nag, Amrish Puri, Smita Patil and Naseeruddin Shah, the movie remains a testament to his mastery in filmmaking.

Among his other notable works are Manthan, Bhumika: The Role, Junoon, Arohan, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero, Well Done Abba, Mammo, Sardari Begum and Zubeidaa. In recognition of his remarkable contributions to the field of cinema, he was honoured with the Padma Shri in 1976 and later, the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award, in 1991.