Veteran director and screenwriter Shyam Benegal, often regarded as one of the most influential filmmakers in Indian cinema, has passed away at the age of 90, leaving behind an irreplaceable legacy.
Born on December 14, 1934, in a Konkani-speaking Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin family in Hyderabad, Benegal collaborated extensively with actors from FTII and NSD, including Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Smita Patil, Shabana Azmi, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, and Amrish Puri
His films, including Ankur, Nishant, Manthan, and Bhumika, established him as a pioneer of the Indian parallel cinema movement in the 1970s and 1980s
The filmmaker with his heroines Smita Patil and Shabana Azmi at the Cannes film festival for Nishant. "Thank You For The New Wave. Thank You For The Films," wrote Zoya Akhtar sharing this memory
The 'Khiladi' Kumar of Bollywood, Akshay Kumar wrote that it was painful for him to know about the demise of the legendary filmmaker Shyam Benegal.
In his tribute, Manoj Bajpayee wrote, "A heartbreaking loss for Indian cinema. Shyam Benegal wasn’t just a legend, he was a visionary who redefined storytelling and inspired generations. Working with him in Zubeidaa was a transformative experience for me, exposing me to his unique style of storytelling & nuanced understanding of performances."
Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur wrote, "He created 'the new wave' cinema. #shyambenegal will always be remembered as the man that changed the direction of Indian Cinema with films like Ankur, Manthan and countless others. He created stars out great actors like Shabana Azmi and Smita Patil. Farewell my friend and guide"
Kamal Haasan wrote, "India has lost the most humane storyteller of our time, and I’ve lost a guru. Through his lens, Shyam Benegal brought real India to the screen, making us love the ordinary while tackling profound social subjects. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and all who cherished his art"
Shabana Azmi had shared a picture from Shyam Benegal's 90th birthday celebration earlier this month
He celebrated his last birthday surrounded by actors he closely worked with
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