Shyam Benegal, pioneer of Indian parallel cinema, passes away at 90

SHYAM BENEGAL, a pioneering figure in Indian cinema’s parallel movement of the 1970s and 1980s, passed away on Monday at the age of 90.

Known for classics such as Ankur, Mandi, and Manthan, the filmmaker had been battling chronic kidney disease for several years.

Benegal died at Wockhardt Hospital in Mumbai, where he had been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. His daughter, Pia Benegal, confirmed the news, stating, “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.”

He is survived by his wife, Nira Benegal, and daughter, Pia.

Just nine days earlier, Benegal had celebrated his 90th birthday, surrounded by actors he had worked with throughout his career.

Among those who gathered to wish him were Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah, Rajit Kapoor, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Divya Dutta, and Kunal Kapoor. A photograph from the occasion, showing Benegal with a smile alongside his collaborators, is now his last known public image.

In a career spanning nearly seven decades, Benegal’s body of work covered diverse subjects, from rural issues and feminist themes to sharp satires and historical biopics.

His contributions extended beyond films to include documentaries and television series, notably Bharat Ek Khoj, based on Jawaharlal Nehru’s Discovery of India, and Samvidhaan, a 10-part series on the making of the Indian Constitution.

Benegal’s films, such as Bhumika, Junoon, Suraj Ka Satvaan Ghoda, Mammo, Sardari Begum, and Zubeidaa, are considered classics of Hindi cinema.

His biographical works include The Making of the Mahatma and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero. His last project, Mujib: The Making of a Nation, released in 2023, focused on the life of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding leader of Bangladesh.

The filmmaker was also planning a biopic on Noor Inayat Khan, a secret agent in World War II, a project that will now remain incomplete.

Tributes poured in from across the film industry. Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur remembered him as a transformative force in Hindi cinema, stating, “He created stars out of great actors like Shabana Azmi and Smita Patil. Farewell my friend and my guide.”

Actor-director Atul Tiwari called him an icon, saying, “Thank you for giving tough stories and flawed characters such amazing dignity.”

Actors such as Amitabh Bachchan, Nafisa Ali, Karisma Kapoor, and Ajay Devgn also paid their respects. Bachchan wrote on X, “We have lost another stalwart of the Film Industry today… Prayers and condolences.”

Ali, who worked with Benegal on Junoon, expressed gratitude for the opportunities he gave her, saying, “You saw in me something that no one else did.” Kapoor shared a still from Zubeidaa in which she played the titular role, describing Benegal as a “legend forever.”

Benegal’s contributions to Indian cinema, particularly through his focus on human stories and societal issues, remain unparalleled. His last rites will be held at 3 pm on Tuesday at the Shivaji Park Electric Crematorium in Mumbai.

(With inputs from PTI)