Shyam Benegal had been battling chronic kidney disease for some time. The veteran director recently celebrated his 90th birthday on December 14.
Acclaimed filmmaker Shyam Benegal, known for award-winning films like Ankur, Bhumika, Manthan, and Nishant, has passed away at 90. His daughter, Pia Benegal, confirmed the news of his demise to the Hindustan Times on Monday evening.
“Yes, he has passed away. The loss is immense,” she said. “He had been unwell for a few years due to chronic kidney disease, which had worsened. We were aware this day would come. He passed away at 6:38 PM today at Wockhardt Hospital in Bombay Central.”
Shyam Benegal passes away
The veteran filmmaker celebrated his 90th birthday just days ago in Mumbai, surrounded by family and close friends from the industry. Actor Shabana Azmi, who made her debut in Benegal’s Ankur, shared a photo from the celebration on her X handle, which also featured actor Naseeruddin Shah.
Known for his groundbreaking contributions to Indian cinema, Benegal’s films stood apart for their realism and profound social commentary, playing a pivotal role in shaping the parallel cinema movement of the 1970s and 1980s. He earned numerous National Awards for acclaimed works such as Bhumika: The Role (1977), Junoon (1978), Arohan (1982), Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero (2004), Manthan (1976), and Well Done Abba (2010).
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In a recent interview with PTI on his 90th birthday, Shyam Benegal reflected on aging, saying, “We all grow old. I don’t do anything grand for my birthday. While it’s a special day, I don’t celebrate it in any significant way. I usually cut a cake at the office with my team.” He also shared that he was actively working on two to three projects, stating, “Each one is different, and it’s hard to say which I’ll take forward. They are all intended for the big screen.”
His final directorial work was the 2023 biographical drama Mujib: The Making of a Nation.
Earlier this year, a restored version of Shyam Benegal’s iconic 1976 film Manthan was screened at the Cannes Film Festival. Showcased under the Cannes Classics segment, the film stars Naseeruddin Shah and the late Smita Patil. Inspired by Dr. Verghese Kurien’s revolutionary milk cooperative movement, Manthan highlights the initiative that transformed India into one of the world’s leading milk producers.
Manthan earned two National Film Awards in 1977: Best Feature Film in Hindi and Best Screenplay for Vijay Tendulkar. It was also India’s official entry for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 1976 Academy Awards.
Due to health reasons, Shyam Benegal was unable to attend the premiere. He fondly remembered how the farmers of Gujarat contributed to the film’s success by turning out in large numbers to watch it in theatres.
