Shyam Benegal, India’s pioneer of parallel cinema, dies at the age of 90

Mumbai:

Shyam Benegal, who ushered in the Indian parallel cinema movement in the 1970s and 1980s with a work known for its realism and social commentary that broke away from the conventions of mainstream Indian cinema, has died at the age of 90 .

The legendary filmmaker is survived by his wife Nira Benegal and his daughter Pia Benegal.

He was admitted to the intensive care unit at Wockhardt Hospital in Mumbai, just days after he turned 90 on December 14.

His daughter Pia Benegal said her father suffered from chronic kidney disease.

“He died at 6.38 pm at Wockhardt Hospital Mumbai Central. He had suffered from chronic kidney disease for several years, but it had become very serious. That is the reason for his death,” Ms Pia said.

On his 90th birthday, Shyam Benegal told news agency PTI that he had worked on two to three projects.

“We all get old. I don’t do anything big (on my birthday). It may be a special day, but I don’t celebrate it specifically. I cut a cake with my team in the office,” he had said.

Despite the physical challenges that come with age, including frequent hospital visits for dialysis three times a week, Shyam Benegal remained true to his passion for filmmaking till the end.

“I’m working on two to three projects; they are all different from each other. It’s hard to say which one I’ll do. They are all for the big screen,” he told PTI on December 14.

His most recent film was the 2023 biopic “Mujib: The Making of a Nation.”

Over the course of his prolific career, Shyam Benegal made films on various subjects, documentaries and television series including ‘Bharat Ek Khoj’ and ‘Samvidhaan’. His films include Bhumika, Junoon, Mandi, Suraj Ka Satvaan Ghoda, Mammo and Sardari Begum, most of which are among the classics of Hindi cinema.

He was born in Hyderabad to Sridhar B. Benegal, a well-known photographer. He was also the second cousin of legendary Indian author Guru Dutt.

Shyam Benegal started his career as a lyricist and made his first documentary in Gujarati, ‘Gher Betha Ganga’ in 1962. His first four feature films “Ankur” (1973), “Nishant” (1975) and “Manthan” (1976). ) and “Bhumika” (1977) made him a pioneer of the New Wave film movement of the time.

He was also the director of the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) from 1980 to 1986.

His film Mandi (1983) is known for its satire on politics and prostitution. The lead roles were played by Shabana Azmi and Smita Patil. Later, Shyam Benegal explored human relationships in Trikal, based on his own story based on the last days of Portuguese in Goa in the early 1960s.

With inputs from PTI