Shyam Benegal
Encyclopedia
Shyam Benegal (born 14 December 1934, Hyderabad) is a prolific Indian director and screenwriter. With his first four feature films Ankur
(1973), Nishant
(1975) Manthan
(1976) and Bhumika
(1977) he created a new genre, which has now come to be called the "middle cinema
" in India although he himself has expressed dislike in the term preferring his work to be called New or Alternate cinema.
He was awarded the Padma Shri
in 1976 and the Padma Bhushan
in 1991. On 8 August 2007, he was awarded the highest award in Indian cinema for lifetime achievement, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award
for the year 2005. He has won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi
seven times.
, Secunderabad
then a British Cantonment
, and now a twin city of the state capital, Hyderabad. It was here, at age twelve that he made his first film, on a camera given to him by his photographer father Sridhar B. Benegal. He received an M.A.
in Economics, from Nizam College
, Osmania University
, Hyderabad. It was here that he formed the Hyderabad Film Society.
; his paternal grandmother and Guru Dutt's maternal grandmother were sisters, both hailing from the Konkani
speaking Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin community.
, Lintas Advertising, where he steadily rose to become a creative head. Meanwhile, he made his first documentary in Gujarati
, Gher Betha Ganga (Ganges at Doorsteps) in 1962. His first feature film though, had to wait another decade, while he worked on the script.
In 1963 he started a brief stint with another advertising agency called ASP (Advertising, Sales and Promotion). During his advertising years, he directed over 900 sponsored documentaries and advertising films.
Between 1966 and 1973, Shyam also taught at the Film and Television Institute of India
(FTII
), Pune
, and twice served as the institute's chairman, (1980–83) and (1989–92). By this time he already started making documentaries. One of his early documentaries A Child of the Streets (1967) garnered him wide acclaim, in all he has made over 70 documentary and short films.
Soon, he was awarded the Homi Bhabha Fellowship
(1970–72), which allowed him to work at the Children Television Workshop, New York, and later at Boston's WGBH-TV
.
(The Seedling) was finally made in 1973. It was a story of economic and sexual exploitation from his home state, Andhra Pradesh
, and Benegal instantly shot to fame. The film also introduced actors, Shabana Azmi
and Anant Nag
and won Shyam Benegal the 1975 National Film Award for Second Best Feature Film
. Shabana Azmi won the National Film Award for Best Actress
.
The success that New India Cinema enjoyed in the 1970s and early 1980s could largely be attributed to Shyam Benegal's quartet: Ankur (1973), Nishant (1975), Manthan (1976) and Bhumika (1977). Benegal used a variety of new actors mainly from the FTII
and NSD
like Smita Patil
, Shabana Azmi
, Naseeruddin Shah
, Om Puri
, Kulbhushan Kharbanda
and Amrish Puri
.
In Benegal's next effort, Nishant
(Night's End) (1975), a teacher's wife is abducted and gang-raped by four zamindar
s and officialdom turns a deaf ear to the distraught husband's pleas for help. Manthan
(The Churning) (1976) is a film on rural empowerment and is set against the backdrop of Gujarat's fledgling dairy industry. For the first time, over five lakh rural farmers in Gujarat, contributed Rs 2 each, and thus became film's producers. Upon its release, truckloads of farmers came to see "their film", making it a success at the box office. After this trilogy on rural oppression, he made a biopic, Bhumika
(The Role) (1977), broadly based on the life of well-known Marathi
stage and film actress of the 1940s, Hansa Wadkar (played by Smita Patil
) who led a flamboyant and unconventional life. The main character sets out on at an individual search for identity and self-fulfillment, at same the time grappling with exploitation by men.
Meanwhile, in the early 70's, Shyam made 21 film modules for Satellite Instructional Television Experiment
(SITE), sponsored by UNICEF. This allowed him to interact with children of SITE and many folk artists. Eventually he used many of these children in his feature length rendition of the classic folk tale, Charandas Chor
(Charandas the Thief) in 1975. He made the film for the Children Films Society of India.
To quote film critic, Derek Malcolm:
"…what Benegal has done is to paint a magnificent visual recreation of those extraordinary days and one that is also sensitive to the agonies and predicament of a talented woman whose need for security was only matched by her insistence on freedom."
). This gave him an added advantage, as he managed to survive the collapse of the New Cinema movement in the late 80s due to paucity of funding, with which were lost many neo-realist filmmakers. Benegal continued making films throughout the next two decades. He also served as the Director of the National Film Development Corporation
(NFDC) from 1980 to 1986.
Following the success of these four films, Benegal was backed by film star Shashi Kapoor
for whom he made Junoon
(1978) and Kalyug
(1981). The former is an interracial love story set amidst the turbulent period of the Indian Mutiny of 1857. Kalyug, was based on the Mahābhārata
and was not a big hit although both of the films won Filmfare Best Movie Award
s in 1980 and 1982 respectively.
Benegal's next film, Mandi
(1983) was a satirical comedy about politics and prostitution, starring Shabana Azmi
and Smita Patil
. Later, working from his own story, based on the last days of Portuguese in Goa, in the early 1960s, Shyam explored human relationship in Trikaal
(1985).
In the 1980s, however, with the collapse of the New Cinema movement, Benegal's films had not had proper releases. He turned to TV where he directed serials like Yatra (1986) for the Indian Railways, and one of the biggest projects undertaken on Indian Television, the 53-episode television serial based on Jawaharlal Nehru's book, Discovery of India (Bharat Ek Khoj
) (1988).
Soon, Shyam Benegal stepped beyond traditional narrative films and took to biographical material to achieve greater freedom of expression. His first venture in this genre was with a documentary film based on Satyajit Ray
’s life, titled, Satyajit Ray, the Filmmaker, in 1985. This was followed by similar biographical works like Sardari Begum
(1996), and Zubeidaa
, which was written by film critic (and film-maker) Khalid Mohammed
.
(1995), Sardari Begum
(1996), and Zubeidaa
(2001). With Zubeidaa, he entered the Bollywood
mainstream for the first time, as it starred top Bollywood
star Karishma Kapoor, and boasted music by A. R. Rahman
.
In 1992, he made another film, Suraj Ka Satvan Ghoda
(Seventh Horse of the Sun) based on a novel by Dharmavir Bharati, which won the 1993 National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi
. In 1996 he made another film based on a book, The Making of the Mahatma
, based on Fatima Meer's, The Apprenticeship of a Mahatma. This turn to biographical material, resulted in Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero
, his 2005 English language film. He criticised the Indian caste system in Samar
(1999). The movie went on to win the National Film Award for Best Film
.
Shyam Benegal is the current President of the Federation of Film Societies of India
. He owns a production company called Sahyadri Films.
He has also authored three books based on his own films, The Churning with Vijay Tendulkar
(1984), based on Manthan
; Satyajit Ray (1988), based on his biographical film, Satyajit Ray, Filmmaker; and The Marketplace (1989) which was based on Mandi
.
and Amrita Rao
was released to a good response. The film's music is by Shantanu Moitra
, and it is produced by Chetan Motiwalla. Shyam Benegal is slated to direct an epic musical Chamki Chameli inspired by George Bizet's classic Spanish opera Carmen
. The story revolves around the eponymous Chamki, a beautiful gypsy girl with a fiery temper and is written by Shama Zaidi. The music is by A. R. Rahman and the lyrics are written by Javed Akhtar.
In March 2010, Benegal released the political satire Well Done Abba
.
One of Benegal's future projects is a film based on Noor Inayat Khan
- a descendant of Tipu Sultan, who served as a British-Indian spy during World War II.
Filmfare Awards
Berlin International Film Festival
Moscow International Film Festival
Ankur (film)
Ankur is an Indian colour film of 1974. It was the first feature film directed by Shyam Benegal and the debut of Indian actors Shabana Azmi and Anant Nag...
(1973), Nishant
Nishant (film)
Nishant is a 1975 Hindi crime drama film directed by Shyam Benegal, and written by noted playwright Vijay Tendulkar. The film stars Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Smita Patil...
(1975) Manthan
Manthan
Manthan was a 1976 Hindi film made by Shyam Benegal, based on a story written jointly by Verghese Kurien and director Shyam Benegal...
(1976) and Bhumika
Bhumika
Bhumika is a 1977 Indian film directed by Shyam Benegal. The movie stars Smita Patil, Amol Palekar, Anant Nag, Naseeruddin Shah and Amrish Puri....
(1977) he created a new genre, which has now come to be called the "middle cinema
Parallel Cinema
The Indian New Wave, commonly known in India as Art Cinema or Parallel Cinema as an alternative to the mainstream commercial cinema, is a specific movement in Indian cinema, known for its serious content, realism and naturalism, with a keen eye on the sociopolitical climate of the times...
" in India although he himself has expressed dislike in the term preferring his work to be called New or Alternate cinema.
He was awarded the Padma Shri
Padma Shri
Padma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan...
in 1976 and the Padma Bhushan
Padma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...
in 1991. On 8 August 2007, he was awarded the highest award in Indian cinema for lifetime achievement, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award
Dadasaheb Phalke Award
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India's highest award in cinema given annually by the Government of India for lifetime contribution to Indian cinema. It was instituted in 1969, the birth centenary year of Dadasaheb Phalke, considered as the father of Indian cinema.The award for a particular year is...
for the year 2005. He has won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi
National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi
The National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi awards the best regional film in Hindi language. Initially the award was known as the President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Hindi. The winners in this category are:...
seven times.
Early life and education
Shyam Benegal, was born in a Konkani speaking Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin family on 14 December 1934 in TrimulgherryTrimulgherry
Trimulgherry or Thirmulgherry or Tirumalagiri is a major suburb of Secunderabad, India. It is the anglicised name for Tirumalagiri. It is to the north of Hyderabad.The suburb has many smaller residential townships...
, Secunderabad
Secunderabad
Secunderabad popularly known as the twin city of Hyderabad is located in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh north of Hyderabad. Named after Sikandar Jah, the third Nizam of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, Secunderabad was founded in 1806 AD as a British cantonment...
then a British Cantonment
Cantonment
A cantonment is a temporary or semi-permanent military or police quarters. The word cantonment is derived from the French word canton meaning corner or district, as is the name of the Cantons of Switzerland. In South Asia, the term cantonment also describes permanent military stations...
, and now a twin city of the state capital, Hyderabad. It was here, at age twelve that he made his first film, on a camera given to him by his photographer father Sridhar B. Benegal. He received an M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in Economics, from Nizam College
Nizam College
Nizam College was established in 1887 during the reign of Nawab Mir Mahaboob Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VI, in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. It is located at Basheerbagh.-History:...
, Osmania University
Osmania University
Osmania University , , since 1918, is a public university located in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. It was established and named after the last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan. It is one of the oldest modern universities in India. It is the first Indian University to have Urdu and...
, Hyderabad. It was here that he formed the Hyderabad Film Society.
Family
Benegal is related to the famous film director and actor Guru DuttGuru Dutt
Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone , popularly known as Guru Dutt, was an Indian film director, producer and actor. He is often credited with ushering in the golden era of Hindi cinema...
; his paternal grandmother and Guru Dutt's maternal grandmother were sisters, both hailing from the Konkani
Konkani language
KonkaniKonkani is a name given to a group of several cognate dialects spoken along the narrow strip of land called Konkan, on the west coast of India. This is, however, somewhat an over-generalisation. Geographically, Konkan is defined roughly as the area between the river Damanganga to the north...
speaking Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin community.
Early career
He started his career working in 1959, as an advertising copywriter, at a Bombay-based advertising agencyAdvertising agency
An advertising agency or ad agency is a service business dedicated to creating, planning and handling advertising for its clients. An ad agency is independent from the client and provides an outside point of view to the effort of selling the client's products or services...
, Lintas Advertising, where he steadily rose to become a creative head. Meanwhile, he made his first documentary in Gujarati
Gujarati language
Gujarati is an Indo-Aryan language, and part of the greater Indo-European language family. It is derived from a language called Old Gujarati which is the ancestor language of the modern Gujarati and Rajasthani languages...
, Gher Betha Ganga (Ganges at Doorsteps) in 1962. His first feature film though, had to wait another decade, while he worked on the script.
In 1963 he started a brief stint with another advertising agency called ASP (Advertising, Sales and Promotion). During his advertising years, he directed over 900 sponsored documentaries and advertising films.
Between 1966 and 1973, Shyam also taught at the Film and Television Institute of India
Film and Television Institute of India
Film and Television Institute of India , is an autonomous Institute under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India. It is fully aided by Central Government of India. It is situated in the premises of the erstwhile Prabhat Film Company in Pune, India...
(FTII
FTII
FTII may refer to:* Film and Television Institute of India, Pune* a title indicating that the bearer is a Fellow of The Chartered Institute of Taxation in the United Kingdom...
), Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
, and twice served as the institute's chairman, (1980–83) and (1989–92). By this time he already started making documentaries. One of his early documentaries A Child of the Streets (1967) garnered him wide acclaim, in all he has made over 70 documentary and short films.
Soon, he was awarded the Homi Bhabha Fellowship
Homi J. Bhabha
Homi Jehangir Bhabha, FRS was an Indian nuclear physicist and the chief architect of the Indian atomic energy program...
(1970–72), which allowed him to work at the Children Television Workshop, New York, and later at Boston's WGBH-TV
WGBH-TV
WGBH-TV, channel 2, is a non-commercial educational public television station located in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. WGBH-TV is a member station of the Public Broadcasting Service , and produces more than two-thirds of PBS's national prime time television programming...
.
Feature films
After returning to Bombay, he received independent financing for his film and AnkurAnkur (film)
Ankur is an Indian colour film of 1974. It was the first feature film directed by Shyam Benegal and the debut of Indian actors Shabana Azmi and Anant Nag...
(The Seedling) was finally made in 1973. It was a story of economic and sexual exploitation from his home state, Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
, and Benegal instantly shot to fame. The film also introduced actors, Shabana Azmi
Shabana Azmi
Shabana Azmi is an Indian actress of film, television and theatre. An alumna of the Film and Television Institute of India of Pune, she made her film debut in 1974 and soon became one of the leading actresses of parallel cinema, an Indian New Wave movement known for its serious content and...
and Anant Nag
Anant Nag
Anant Nagarkatte popularly known as Anant Nag is an actor and politician from Karnataka, India. He is considered to be one of the all time greatest actors in the Kannada film industry with a vast number of commercially successful movies. As a result, he is popularly known as an actor with...
and won Shyam Benegal the 1975 National Film Award for Second Best Feature Film
National Film Award for Second Best Feature Film
The National Film Award for Second Best Feature Film winners :-See also:...
. Shabana Azmi won the National Film Award for Best Actress
National Film Award for Best Actress
The National Film Award for Best Actress is an honor presented annually at the National Film Awards of India to an actress who has delivered the best performance in a leading role within the Indian film industry...
.
The success that New India Cinema enjoyed in the 1970s and early 1980s could largely be attributed to Shyam Benegal's quartet: Ankur (1973), Nishant (1975), Manthan (1976) and Bhumika (1977). Benegal used a variety of new actors mainly from the FTII
Film and Television Institute of India
Film and Television Institute of India , is an autonomous Institute under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India. It is fully aided by Central Government of India. It is situated in the premises of the erstwhile Prabhat Film Company in Pune, India...
and NSD
National School of Drama
National School of Drama is a theatre training institute situated at New Delhi, India, established . It is an autonomous organization under Ministry of Culture, Government of India. It was set up in 1959 by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, and became an independent school in 1975...
like Smita Patil
Smita Patil
Smita Patil was an Indian actress of film, television and theatre. Regarded among the finest stage and film actresses of her times, Patil appeared in over 75 Hindi and Marathi films in a career that spanned just over a decade. During her career, she received two National Film Awards and a...
, Shabana Azmi
Shabana Azmi
Shabana Azmi is an Indian actress of film, television and theatre. An alumna of the Film and Television Institute of India of Pune, she made her film debut in 1974 and soon became one of the leading actresses of parallel cinema, an Indian New Wave movement known for its serious content and...
, Naseeruddin Shah
Naseeruddin Shah
Naseeruddin Shah is an Indian / Bollywood film actor and director. He is considered to be one of the finest actors of Indian cinema. In 2003, the Government of India honored him with the Padma Bhushan for his contributions towards Indian cinema.-Early life:...
, Om Puri
Om Puri
Om Puri is an Indian actor who has appeared in both mainstream Indian films and art films. His credits also include appearances in British and American films. He has received an honorary OBE.-Early life:...
, Kulbhushan Kharbanda
Kulbhushan Kharbanda
Kulbhushan Kharbanda is an Indian actor, who worked in Hindi and Punjabi films, and is known as character Shakaal in Shaan inspired by the character of Blofeld from James Bond movies...
and Amrish Puri
Amrish Puri
Amrish Singh Puri , ; 22 June 1932 – 12 January 2005 was an iconic theater and film actor from India, who was a key player in the Indian theater movement that picked up steam in the 1960s. He worked with notable playwrights of the time, such as Satyadev Dubey and Girish Karnad...
.
In Benegal's next effort, Nishant
Nishant (film)
Nishant is a 1975 Hindi crime drama film directed by Shyam Benegal, and written by noted playwright Vijay Tendulkar. The film stars Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Smita Patil...
(Night's End) (1975), a teacher's wife is abducted and gang-raped by four zamindar
Zamindar
A Zamindar or zemindar , was an aristocrat, typically hereditary, who held enormous tracts of land and ruled over and taxed the bhikaaris who lived on batavaslam. Over time, they took princely and royal titles such as Maharaja , Raja , Nawab , and Mirza , Chowdhury , among others...
s and officialdom turns a deaf ear to the distraught husband's pleas for help. Manthan
Manthan
Manthan was a 1976 Hindi film made by Shyam Benegal, based on a story written jointly by Verghese Kurien and director Shyam Benegal...
(The Churning) (1976) is a film on rural empowerment and is set against the backdrop of Gujarat's fledgling dairy industry. For the first time, over five lakh rural farmers in Gujarat, contributed Rs 2 each, and thus became film's producers. Upon its release, truckloads of farmers came to see "their film", making it a success at the box office. After this trilogy on rural oppression, he made a biopic, Bhumika
Bhumika
Bhumika is a 1977 Indian film directed by Shyam Benegal. The movie stars Smita Patil, Amol Palekar, Anant Nag, Naseeruddin Shah and Amrish Puri....
(The Role) (1977), broadly based on the life of well-known Marathi
Marathi cinema
Marathi cinema refers to films produced in the Marathi language in the state of Maharashtra, India. It is the oldest and pioneer film industry in India...
stage and film actress of the 1940s, Hansa Wadkar (played by Smita Patil
Smita Patil
Smita Patil was an Indian actress of film, television and theatre. Regarded among the finest stage and film actresses of her times, Patil appeared in over 75 Hindi and Marathi films in a career that spanned just over a decade. During her career, she received two National Film Awards and a...
) who led a flamboyant and unconventional life. The main character sets out on at an individual search for identity and self-fulfillment, at same the time grappling with exploitation by men.
Meanwhile, in the early 70's, Shyam made 21 film modules for Satellite Instructional Television Experiment
Satellite Instructional Television Experiment
The Satellite Instructional Television Experiment or SITE was an experimental satellite communications project launched in India in 1975, designed jointly by NASA and the Indian Space Research Organization . The project made available informational television programmes to rural India...
(SITE), sponsored by UNICEF. This allowed him to interact with children of SITE and many folk artists. Eventually he used many of these children in his feature length rendition of the classic folk tale, Charandas Chor
Charandas Chor
Charandas Chor is 1975 children's film made by noted director Shyam Benegal, based on the famous play by Habib Tanvir, which itself was an adaptation of a classical Rajasthani folktale by Vijaydan Detha...
(Charandas the Thief) in 1975. He made the film for the Children Films Society of India.
To quote film critic, Derek Malcolm:
"…what Benegal has done is to paint a magnificent visual recreation of those extraordinary days and one that is also sensitive to the agonies and predicament of a talented woman whose need for security was only matched by her insistence on freedom."
The 80s
Unlike most New Cinema filmmakers, Benegal has had private backers for many of his films, and institutional backing for a few, including Manthan (National Diary Development Board), Susman (1987)(Handloom Co-operatives) and Yatra (1986) (Indian RailwaysIndian Railways
Indian Railways , abbreviated as IR , is a departmental undertaking of Government of India, which owns and operates most of India's rail transport. It is overseen by the Ministry of Railways of the Government of India....
). This gave him an added advantage, as he managed to survive the collapse of the New Cinema movement in the late 80s due to paucity of funding, with which were lost many neo-realist filmmakers. Benegal continued making films throughout the next two decades. He also served as the Director of the National Film Development Corporation
National Film Development Corporation
National Film Development Corporation may refer to any of the following agencies:* India: National Film Development Corporation of India* Malaysia: National Film Development Corporation Malaysia...
(NFDC) from 1980 to 1986.
Following the success of these four films, Benegal was backed by film star Shashi Kapoor
Shashi Kapoor
Shashi Kapoor , born Balbir-Raj Prithviraj Kapoor on 18 March 1938 in Calcutta , is an award-winning Indian film actor and film producer. He has also been film director and assistant director in Hindi Films. He is a member of the Kapoor family, a film dynasty in India's Bollywood cinema...
for whom he made Junoon
Junoon (1978 film)
The soundtrack features 4 songs, composed by Vanraj Bhatia, with original lyrics from Yogesh Praveen and other lyrics by Amir Khusro, Jigar Moradabadi and Sant Kabir.#"Khusro rain piya ki jaagi pee ke sang" – Jamil Ahmad...
(1978) and Kalyug
Kalyug (1980 film)
Kalyug is a Hindi film made in 1981, and was directed by Shyam Benegal.The film is known as a modern day version of an Indian mythological epic Mahabharat depicted as an archetypal-conflict between rival business houses.-Overview:...
(1981). The former is an interracial love story set amidst the turbulent period of the Indian Mutiny of 1857. Kalyug, was based on the Mahābhārata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
and was not a big hit although both of the films won Filmfare Best Movie Award
Filmfare Best Movie Award
The Filmfare Best Film Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films.The award was first given in 1954. Here is a list of the award winners and the nominees of the respective years...
s in 1980 and 1982 respectively.
Benegal's next film, Mandi
Mandi (film)
Mandi is a 1983 Hindi movie directed by Shyam Benegal.The film is a satirical comedy on politics and prostitution, and stars Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Smita Patil...
(1983) was a satirical comedy about politics and prostitution, starring Shabana Azmi
Shabana Azmi
Shabana Azmi is an Indian actress of film, television and theatre. An alumna of the Film and Television Institute of India of Pune, she made her film debut in 1974 and soon became one of the leading actresses of parallel cinema, an Indian New Wave movement known for its serious content and...
and Smita Patil
Smita Patil
Smita Patil was an Indian actress of film, television and theatre. Regarded among the finest stage and film actresses of her times, Patil appeared in over 75 Hindi and Marathi films in a career that spanned just over a decade. During her career, she received two National Film Awards and a...
. Later, working from his own story, based on the last days of Portuguese in Goa, in the early 1960s, Shyam explored human relationship in Trikaal
Trikaal
Trikal is an Indian movie written and directed by Shyam Benegal, set in Goa during the early 1960s Period. The film starred yester years actress, Leela Naidu, in a comeback role after many decades....
(1985).
In the 1980s, however, with the collapse of the New Cinema movement, Benegal's films had not had proper releases. He turned to TV where he directed serials like Yatra (1986) for the Indian Railways, and one of the biggest projects undertaken on Indian Television, the 53-episode television serial based on Jawaharlal Nehru's book, Discovery of India (Bharat Ek Khoj
Bharat Ek Khoj
Bharat Ek Khoj is a 53-episode television series that dramatically unfolds the 5000 year history of India from its beginnings to the coming of independence in 1947...
) (1988).
Soon, Shyam Benegal stepped beyond traditional narrative films and took to biographical material to achieve greater freedom of expression. His first venture in this genre was with a documentary film based on Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker. He is regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of 20th century cinema. Ray was born in the city of Kolkata into a Bengali family prominent in the world of arts and literature...
’s life, titled, Satyajit Ray, the Filmmaker, in 1985. This was followed by similar biographical works like Sardari Begum
Sardari Begum
Sardari Begum is a 1996 Hindi movie directed by Shyam Benegal. The film stars Kiron Kher, Amrish Puri and Rajit Kapur and Rajeshwari Sachdev....
(1996), and Zubeidaa
Zubeidaa
Zubeidaa is a 2001 Indian film directed by Shyam Benegal and written by Khalid Mohammed. It stars Karisma Kapoor, Rekha, Manoj Bajpai, Surekha Sikri, Rajit Kapoor, Lillete Dubey, Amrish Puri, Farida Jalal, and Shakti Kapoor...
, which was written by film critic (and film-maker) Khalid Mohammed
Khalid Mohammed
Khalid Mohamed is an Indian journalist, editor, film critic, screenwriter and film director. He formerly worked for the Hindustan Times and was the lead editor for Filmfare magazine...
.
The 90s and beyond
The 90s saw Shyam Benegal making a trilogy on Indian Muslim women, starting with MammoMammo
Mammo is a film by Shyam Benegal released in 1994. The film stars Farida Jalal, Surekha Sikri and Rajit Kapur.The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi in 1995. Farida Jalal won Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance, while Surekha Sikri won the National Film Award...
(1995), Sardari Begum
Sardari Begum
Sardari Begum is a 1996 Hindi movie directed by Shyam Benegal. The film stars Kiron Kher, Amrish Puri and Rajit Kapur and Rajeshwari Sachdev....
(1996), and Zubeidaa
Zubeidaa
Zubeidaa is a 2001 Indian film directed by Shyam Benegal and written by Khalid Mohammed. It stars Karisma Kapoor, Rekha, Manoj Bajpai, Surekha Sikri, Rajit Kapoor, Lillete Dubey, Amrish Puri, Farida Jalal, and Shakti Kapoor...
(2001). With Zubeidaa, he entered the Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
mainstream for the first time, as it starred top Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
star Karishma Kapoor, and boasted music by A. R. Rahman
A. R. Rahman
Allah Rakha Rahman is an Indian composer, singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and philanthropist. Described as the world's most prominent and prolific film composer by Time, his works are notable for integrating eastern classical music with electronic music sounds, world music genres and...
.
In 1992, he made another film, Suraj Ka Satvan Ghoda
Suraj Ka Satvan Ghoda
Suraj Ka Satvan Ghoda is a 1992, Indian Hindi film directed by Shyam Benegal and based on a novel of the same name by Dharmavir Bharati. It won the 1993 National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi...
(Seventh Horse of the Sun) based on a novel by Dharmavir Bharati, which won the 1993 National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi
National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi
The National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi awards the best regional film in Hindi language. Initially the award was known as the President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Hindi. The winners in this category are:...
. In 1996 he made another film based on a book, The Making of the Mahatma
The Making of the Mahatma
The Making of the Mahatma is joint Indian - South African produced film, directed by Shyam Benegal, about the early life of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi during his 21 years in South Africa...
, based on Fatima Meer's, The Apprenticeship of a Mahatma. This turn to biographical material, resulted in Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero
The music score that accompanies the film was composed by A. R. Rahman. The soundtrack features 19 pieces composed by Rahman, including 13 instrumentals and orchestral themes, in addition to 6 further songs, with lyrics by Javed Akhtar. Performers include the Western Choir Chennai and the Mumbai...
, his 2005 English language film. He criticised the Indian caste system in Samar
Samar (film)
Samar is an Indian feature film directed by Shyam Benegal. It was produced by National Film Development Corporation of India, a government agency....
(1999). The movie went on to win the National Film Award for Best Film
National Film Award for Best Film
The National Award for Best Feature film is one of the National Film Awards presented annually by the Directorate of Film Festivals, India, and was constituted in the year 1954. This is one of the Golden Lotus Awards given among National Film Awards...
.
Shyam Benegal is the current President of the Federation of Film Societies of India
Federation of Film Societies of India
The Federation of Film Societies of India was formed in December 1959. This was an association of film societies of Calcutta , Delhi, Bombay , Madras and Patna....
. He owns a production company called Sahyadri Films.
He has also authored three books based on his own films, The Churning with Vijay Tendulkar
Vijay Tendulkar
Vijay Tendulkar was a leading Indian playwright, movie and television writer, literary essayist, political journalist, and social commentator primarily in Marāthi...
(1984), based on Manthan
Manthan
Manthan was a 1976 Hindi film made by Shyam Benegal, based on a story written jointly by Verghese Kurien and director Shyam Benegal...
; Satyajit Ray (1988), based on his biographical film, Satyajit Ray, Filmmaker; and The Marketplace (1989) which was based on Mandi
Mandi (film)
Mandi is a 1983 Hindi movie directed by Shyam Benegal.The film is a satirical comedy on politics and prostitution, and stars Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Smita Patil...
.
Recent projects
In 2008 his film Welcome to Sajjanpur, starring Shreyas TalpadeShreyas Talpade
-Early life:Talpade was born in Mumbai, Maharashtra, in a Marathi family. He attended Shree Ram Welfare Society's High School in Andheri-West. He is married to Deepti Talpade. Shreyas met his wife Deepti when he went to her college as a celebrity...
and Amrita Rao
Amrita Rao
Amrita Rao is an Indian actress who appears in Bollywood films.Beginning her career as a model, Rao made her acting debut with Ab Ke Baras...
was released to a good response. The film's music is by Shantanu Moitra
Shantanu Moitra
Shantanu Moitra is an Indian music director who has composed music for the Hindi film industry, and is most known for his score in films Parineeta , Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi , "Lage Raho Munnabhai" and 3 Idiots , and private albums, Mann ke Manjeere and Ab ke Saawan sung by Shubha Mudgal.-Early...
, and it is produced by Chetan Motiwalla. Shyam Benegal is slated to direct an epic musical Chamki Chameli inspired by George Bizet's classic Spanish opera Carmen
Carmen
Carmen is a French opéra comique by Georges Bizet. The libretto is by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée, first published in 1845, itself possibly influenced by the narrative poem The Gypsies by Alexander Pushkin...
. The story revolves around the eponymous Chamki, a beautiful gypsy girl with a fiery temper and is written by Shama Zaidi. The music is by A. R. Rahman and the lyrics are written by Javed Akhtar.
In March 2010, Benegal released the political satire Well Done Abba
Well Done Abba
Well Done Abba is a 2010 political satire Hindi film directed by Shyam Benegal, starring Boman Irani, Minissha Lamba and Sammir Dattani in pivotal roles. It is the remake of the 2007 Marathi film, Jau Tithe Khau It was based on three short stories: Narsaiyyan Ki Bavdi by Jeelani Bano, Phulwa Ka...
.
One of Benegal's future projects is a film based on Noor Inayat Khan
Noor Inayat Khan
Assistant Section Officer Noor Inayat Khan / Nora Baker, GC, MBE , usually known as Noor Inayat Khan was of Indian Muslim origin...
- a descendant of Tipu Sultan, who served as a British-Indian spy during World War II.
Personal life
Shyam Benegal is married to Nira Benegal and has a daughter called Pia, who is a costume designer for feature films. He is also involved with the Mumbai based film school Whistling Woods International as chairman of the academic council.National
National Film AwardsNational Film Awards
The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it is administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.Every year, a national panel...
- 1975 Second Best Feature FilmNational Film Award for Second Best Feature FilmThe National Film Award for Second Best Feature Film winners :-See also:...
for AnkurAnkur (film)Ankur is an Indian colour film of 1974. It was the first feature film directed by Shyam Benegal and the debut of Indian actors Shabana Azmi and Anant Nag... - 1976 Best Feature Film in HindiNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in HindiThe National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi awards the best regional film in Hindi language. Initially the award was known as the President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Hindi. The winners in this category are:...
for NishantNishant (film)Nishant is a 1975 Hindi crime drama film directed by Shyam Benegal, and written by noted playwright Vijay Tendulkar. The film stars Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Smita Patil... - 1977 Best Feature Film in HindiNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in HindiThe National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi awards the best regional film in Hindi language. Initially the award was known as the President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Hindi. The winners in this category are:...
for ManthanManthanManthan was a 1976 Hindi film made by Shyam Benegal, based on a story written jointly by Verghese Kurien and director Shyam Benegal... - 1978 Best ScreenplayNational Film Award for Best ScreenplayThe National Film Award for Best Screenplay winners:-References:...
for BhumikaBhumikaBhumika is a 1977 Indian film directed by Shyam Benegal. The movie stars Smita Patil, Amol Palekar, Anant Nag, Naseeruddin Shah and Amrish Puri.... - 1979 Best Feature Film in HindiNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in HindiThe National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi awards the best regional film in Hindi language. Initially the award was known as the President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Hindi. The winners in this category are:...
for JunoonJunoon (1978 film)The soundtrack features 4 songs, composed by Vanraj Bhatia, with original lyrics from Yogesh Praveen and other lyrics by Amir Khusro, Jigar Moradabadi and Sant Kabir.#"Khusro rain piya ki jaagi pee ke sang" – Jamil Ahmad... - 1982 Best Feature Film in HindiNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in HindiThe National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi awards the best regional film in Hindi language. Initially the award was known as the President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Hindi. The winners in this category are:...
for ArohanArohan (film)Arohan is 1982 Hindi film by Shyam Benegal, starring Victor Banerjee and Om Puri in the lead roles.-Cast:* Victor Banerjee* Om Puri* Pankaj Kapoor* Noni Ganguly* Sreela Majumdar* Khokha Mukherji* Gita Sen* Rajen Tarafder... - 1984 Best Historical Reconstruction for Nehru
- 1985 Best Biographical FilmNational Film Award for Best Biographical FilmThe National Film Award - Best Biographical Film winners:...
for Satyajit Ray, Filmmaker - 1986 Best DirectorNational Film Award for Best DirectingThe National Film Award for Best Direction winners are given below. Satyajit Ray has been awarded the maximum number of times in this category....
for TrikaalTrikaalTrikal is an Indian movie written and directed by Shyam Benegal, set in Goa during the early 1960s Period. The film starred yester years actress, Leela Naidu, in a comeback role after many decades.... - 1993 Best Feature Film in HindiNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in HindiThe National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi awards the best regional film in Hindi language. Initially the award was known as the President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Hindi. The winners in this category are:...
for Suraj Ka Satvan GhodaSuraj Ka Satvan GhodaSuraj Ka Satvan Ghoda is a 1992, Indian Hindi film directed by Shyam Benegal and based on a novel of the same name by Dharmavir Bharati. It won the 1993 National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi... - 1995 Best Feature Film in HindiNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in HindiThe National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi awards the best regional film in Hindi language. Initially the award was known as the President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Hindi. The winners in this category are:...
for MammoMammoMammo is a film by Shyam Benegal released in 1994. The film stars Farida Jalal, Surekha Sikri and Rajit Kapur.The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi in 1995. Farida Jalal won Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance, while Surekha Sikri won the National Film Award... - 1996 Best Feature Film in EnglishNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in EnglishThe National Film Award for Best Feature Film in English winners:-References:*...
for The Making of the MahatmaThe Making of the MahatmaThe Making of the Mahatma is joint Indian - South African produced film, directed by Shyam Benegal, about the early life of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi during his 21 years in South Africa... - 1997 Best Feature Film in Urdu for Sardari BegumSardari BegumSardari Begum is a 1996 Hindi movie directed by Shyam Benegal. The film stars Kiron Kher, Amrish Puri and Rajit Kapur and Rajeshwari Sachdev....
- 1999 Best Feature FilmNational Film Award for Best FilmThe National Award for Best Feature film is one of the National Film Awards presented annually by the Directorate of Film Festivals, India, and was constituted in the year 1954. This is one of the Golden Lotus Awards given among National Film Awards...
for SamarSamar (film)Samar is an Indian feature film directed by Shyam Benegal. It was produced by National Film Development Corporation of India, a government agency.... - 1999 Best Feature Film on Family WelfareNational Film Award for Best Film on Family WelfareThe National Film Award - Best Film on Family Welfare winners:...
for Hari-BhariHari-BhariHari-Bhari is 2000 Hindi film by Shyam Benegal, starring Shabana Azmi, Rajit Kapur, Rajeshwari Sachdev, Surekha Sikri and Nandita Das in lead roles.... - 2001 Best Feature Film in HindiNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in HindiThe National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi awards the best regional film in Hindi language. Initially the award was known as the President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Hindi. The winners in this category are:...
for ZubeidaaZubeidaaZubeidaa is a 2001 Indian film directed by Shyam Benegal and written by Khalid Mohammed. It stars Karisma Kapoor, Rekha, Manoj Bajpai, Surekha Sikri, Rajit Kapoor, Lillete Dubey, Amrish Puri, Farida Jalal, and Shakti Kapoor... - 2005 Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National IntegrationNargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National IntegrationThe Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration is a National Film Award - Silver Lotus, given to an Indian feature film director, for the best film relating to National Integration in India.The winners of the Award:-References:...
for Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten HeroNetaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten HeroThe music score that accompanies the film was composed by A. R. Rahman. The soundtrack features 19 pieces composed by Rahman, including 13 instrumentals and orchestral themes, in addition to 6 further songs, with lyrics by Javed Akhtar. Performers include the Western Choir Chennai and the Mumbai... - 2009 Best Film on Other Social IssuesNational Film Award for Best Film on Other Social IssuesThe National Film Award - Best Film on Other Social Issues winners:...
for Well Done AbbaWell Done AbbaWell Done Abba is a 2010 political satire Hindi film directed by Shyam Benegal, starring Boman Irani, Minissha Lamba and Sammir Dattani in pivotal roles. It is the remake of the 2007 Marathi film, Jau Tithe Khau It was based on three short stories: Narsaiyyan Ki Bavdi by Jeelani Bano, Phulwa Ka...
Filmfare Awards
Filmfare Awards
The Filmfare Awards are presented annually by The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Hindi language film industry of India. The Filmfare ceremony is one of the oldest and most prominent film events given for Hindi films in India. The awards were...
- 1980 Best DirectorFilmfare Best Director AwardThe Filmfare Best Director Award is one of the main awards presented given by the annual Filmfare Awards to recognise directors working in the Hindi film Industry. It was first presented in 1954 in the inaugural year.-Superlatives:...
for JunoonJunoon (1978 film)The soundtrack features 4 songs, composed by Vanraj Bhatia, with original lyrics from Yogesh Praveen and other lyrics by Amir Khusro, Jigar Moradabadi and Sant Kabir.#"Khusro rain piya ki jaagi pee ke sang" – Jamil Ahmad... - 1982 Best DirectorFilmfare Best Director AwardThe Filmfare Best Director Award is one of the main awards presented given by the annual Filmfare Awards to recognise directors working in the Hindi film Industry. It was first presented in 1954 in the inaugural year.-Superlatives:...
for KalyugKalyug (1980 film)Kalyug is a Hindi film made in 1981, and was directed by Shyam Benegal.The film is known as a modern day version of an Indian mythological epic Mahabharat depicted as an archetypal-conflict between rival business houses.-Overview:...
: Nominated - 2008 welcome to sajjanpur
International
Cannes Film FestivalCannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
- 19761976 Cannes Film FestivalThe 29th Cannes Film Festival was held on May 13-28, 1976. A new section, 'L'Air du temps', which is non-competitive and focuses on contemporary subjects, is introduced at this festival and discontinued after the next.- Jury :...
: Golden Palm: NishantNishant (film)Nishant is a 1975 Hindi crime drama film directed by Shyam Benegal, and written by noted playwright Vijay Tendulkar. The film stars Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Smita Patil...
: Nominated
Berlin International Film Festival
24th Berlin International Film Festival
The 24th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from June 21 to July 2, 1974.-Jury:* Rodolfo Kuhn * Margaret Hinxmann* Pietro Bianchi* Gérard Ducaux-Rupp* Kurt Heinz* Akira Iwasaki* Arthur Knight* Manfred Purzer...
- 1974 Golden Berlin Bear for AnkurAnkur (film)Ankur is an Indian colour film of 1974. It was the first feature film directed by Shyam Benegal and the debut of Indian actors Shabana Azmi and Anant Nag...
: Nominated
Moscow International Film Festival
Moscow International Film Festival
Moscow International Film Festival , is the film festival first held in Moscow in 1959. From its inception to 1995 it was held every second year in July, alternating with the Karlovy Vary festival. The festival has been held annually since 1995....
- 1981 Golden Prize: KalyugKalyug (1980 film)Kalyug is a Hindi film made in 1981, and was directed by Shyam Benegal.The film is known as a modern day version of an Indian mythological epic Mahabharat depicted as an archetypal-conflict between rival business houses.-Overview:...
- 1997 Golden St. George: Sardari BegumSardari BegumSardari Begum is a 1996 Hindi movie directed by Shyam Benegal. The film stars Kiron Kher, Amrish Puri and Rajit Kapur and Rajeshwari Sachdev....
: Nominated
Honours
- 1970 Homi Bhabha FellowshipHomi J. BhabhaHomi Jehangir Bhabha, FRS was an Indian nuclear physicist and the chief architect of the Indian atomic energy program...
(1970–72) - 1976 Padma ShriPadma ShriPadma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan...
- 1989 Sovietland Nehru Award
- 1991 Padma BhushanPadma BhushanThe Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...
- 2005 Dadasaheb Phalke AwardDadasaheb Phalke AwardThe Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India's highest award in cinema given annually by the Government of India for lifetime contribution to Indian cinema. It was instituted in 1969, the birth centenary year of Dadasaheb Phalke, considered as the father of Indian cinema.The award for a particular year is...
Further reading
- Shyam Benegal (BFI World Directors) - Sangeeta Datta. 2003, British Film Institute. ISBN 0851709087.
- Bollywood Babylon: Interviews with Shyam Benegal, William van der Heide. 2006, Berg Publishers. ISBN 1845204050.
- BBC's Tom Brook interviews Shyam Benegal on 25 August 2006
- Girish Karnad interviews Shyam Benegal, National Film Theatre, 2002
- Sen, Meheli (2011) “Vernacular Modernities and Fitful Globalities in Shyam Benegal’s Cinematic Provinces”, in: manycinemas 1, 8-22, Online, pdf-version