Shyam Benegal, a renowned Indian filmmaker known for pioneering a new-wave cinema movement that tackled social issues in the 1970s, has died after suffering from chronic kidney disease. He was 90.
His contributions to cinema as a director, editor and screenwriter were recognized. He is also credited with creating a new genre of filmmaking.
Benegal passed away on Monday at Mumbai’s Wockhardt Hospital and his cremation will take place on Tuesday, the Press Trust of India news agency reported, citing his daughter Piya.
"Benegal had been suffering from chronic kidney disease for several years, but it had gotten very bad. That’s the reason for his death,” Piya said.
Many paid tribute to the legendary filmmaker on social media platform X.
Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt wrote that Benegal told stories without pretense. "They were raw and real, about the struggles of ordinary people. His films had craft and conviction.”
"Deeply saddened by the passing of Shyam Benegal, whose storytelling had a profound impact on Indian cinema. His works will continue to be admired by people from different walks of life," India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.
He was a mentor to top Indian actors, including Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil, Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri, who made their mark in Bollywood’s popular cinema as well.
"I have lost my foster father, a man to whom I owe more than I can say,” posted Naseeruddin Shah.
"Shyam Benegal was not just a legend; he was a visionary who redefined storytelling and inspired generations,” said actor Manoj Bajpayee.
Benegal came into the limelight in the 1970s with a series of films that challenged mainstream Bollywood. His films Ankur (1974), Nishant (1975), Manthan (1976) and Bhumika (1977) represented a parallel cinema dealing with the social realities of a poor nation.
"Ankur” explored the feudal divide in India, while ”Manthan" was based on the story of the country’s cooperative dairy milk movement.
Benegal was widely known for his series "Bharat Ek Khoj,” a landmark 53-episode television series based on the book Discovery of India, written by India’s first prime minister, Jawahar Lal Nehru and chronicled the country’s troubled passages from ancient times to modernity.
He also directed a 2023 biopic on Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led Bangladesh’s freedom struggle against Pakistan in the 1970s. Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India in August following a student movement, is the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Benegal was born in December 1934 in Hyderabad in southern India and had an early launch in the world of cinema. He earned an Economics degree from Hyderabad’s Osmania University and established the Hyderabad Film Society. He also ventured into advertising, where he directed over 900 sponsored documentaries and advertising films.
Benegal is survived by his wife, Nira Benegal, and daughter Piya.
