Shyam Benegal, pioneer of the parallel cinema movement in India, passed away on December 23, at the age of 90. In homage to this filmmaker like no other, revisit seven of his masterpieces.
Ankur (1974)
Shyam Benegal makes a masterful debut with “Ankur”, an emblematic film of Indian parallel cinema. The plot highlights caste and gender inequalities in rural India, tackling a landowner’s illicit relationship with a Dalit woman. Shabana Azmi delivers a breathtaking performance in the lead role, which earned her the National Film Award for Best Actress. The film also won the National Award for Best Hindi Film the following year.
Manthan (1976)
Considered one of the most influential films on farmer empowerment, “Manthan” chronicles the creation of a dairy cooperative movement, a real-life national initiative that demonstrated the strength of marginalized communities through collective action. Girish Karnad brilliantly stars in the lead, and the film was financed by contributions from thousands of farmers.
Zubeidaa (2001)
Based on the true interfaith love story between Zubeida Begum, an actress and singer, and Maharaja Hanwant Singh of Jodhpur, this 2001 film, starring Karisma Kapoor, was written by Zubeida Begum’s son Khalid Mohamed. The film is narrated from the perspective of Riyaz, Zubeida’s fictional child, who seeks to understand his mother’s complex life as a royal figure – second wife of a Hindu prince, Maharaja Vijayendra Singh of Fatehpur (played by Manoj Bajpayee), his complex relationship with the prince’s first wife, the Maharani Mandira Devi (played by Rekha), and his tumultuous marriage due to his free spirit.
Mandi (1983)
With an exceptional cast including Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Smita Patil, ‘Mandi’ is a satirical and hard-hitting exploration of social hypocrisy, set in a brothel – a space where political and moral agendas intersect. The film, which addresses key themes like urbanization and women’s empowerment, won the National Film Award for Best Art Direction and is considered one of Shyam Benegal’s most subversive films.
Kalyug (1981)
Shyam Benegal reimagines the epic Mahabharata with ‘Kalyug’, exploring themes such as greed, betrayal and family conflicts in the world of business. Through the prism of two industrial families made up of human characters facing moral dilemmas and power struggles, the director delivers a powerful commentary on ethical conflicts in a modern world.
Bhumika (1977)
Starring Smita Patil in the lead role, this biographical drama is inspired by the life of Marathi actress Hansa Wadkar. “Bhumika” follows the journey of a woman who seeks to emancipate herself and define her identity in a world where fame, love and independence intertwine. Smita Patil won the National Film Award for Best Actress, while the film received the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Film.
Mammo (1994)
The film’s poignant narrative is inspired by the trauma experienced by thousands of migrants after the Partition of India in 1947. The story focuses on Mehmooda Begum, nicknamed “Mammo” (played by Fareeda Jalal), born in India but having emigrated to Pakistan with her husband. After the latter’s death, her family rejects her, leaving her without a home. She then returned to India, where she lived with her sister and her 13-year-old grandson.
“Mammo” is part of a trilogy about three women, alongside “Sardari Begum” (1996) and “Zubeidaa” (2001).
Weaver of authentic stories
In 1974, a young screenwriter with an original creative vision decided to revolutionize mainstream Indian cinema. His name is Shyam Benegal, and over the next three decades he would be one of the pioneers of the parallel cinema movement in India.
Through powerful storytelling, imbued with social realism, Shyam Benegal transcends traditional styles of filmmaking, creating films with a socially engaged tone. This art house director, among the first to target a pan-Indian audience and obtain funding from international distributors, will have been able to weave resolutely authentic stories that defy social conventions, ranging from the exploration of caste dynamics in “Ankur” (1974) to the analysis of the complexities of female ambition in a patriarchal society in “Bhumika” (1977).
In the 1980s, Shyam Benegal became known to a wide audience with “Bharat Ek Khoj”, an iconic 53-episode television series adapted from the book “Discovery of India” by Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India. This series retraced the difficult journey of the country, from Antiquity to modernity. In 2023, he is also directing a biopic on Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the leader of Bangladesh who led his country’s struggle against Pakistan in the 1970s.
Shyam Benegal, born in December 1934 in Hyderabad, southern India, obtained a degree in economics from Osmania University in Hyderabad. He founded the Hyderabad Film Society.
Before launching into cinema, he worked in advertising, where he directed more than 900 documentaries and sponsored advertising films.
He was a mentor to great Indian actors, such as Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil, Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri, who went on to leave their mark on popular Bollywood cinema. “I lost my adoptive father, a man to whom I owe more than I can express,” Naseeruddin Shah wrote. “Shyam Benegal was not just a legend, he was a visionary who redefined the art of storytelling and inspired generations,” said actor Manoj Bajpayee.
Shyam Benegal leaves behind his wife Nira and daughter Piya.
