Amitabh Bachchan and Karisma Kapoor, among other celebs, pay tributes to Shyam Benegal

Tributes pour in for celebrated filmmaker Shyam Benegal, with Amitabh Bachchan, Nafisa Ali, Karisma Kapoor, Vishal Bhardwaj and Ajay Devgn remembering the ‘stalwart’ and ‘legend’ for his contribution to Indian cinema. Benegal, a pioneer whose films such as Ankur, Mandi, Nishant, and Junoon defined the Indian ‘parallel cinema movement’ in the 1970s and 1980s, died on Monday at Mumbai’s Wockhardt Hospital due to chronic kidney disease. He was 90.

Bachchan paid homage in an X post, “We have lost another stalwart of the film industry today... Shyam Benegal passes away...Prayers and condolences (sic).” Nafisa Ali, who worked with Benegal in 1978’s Junoon, said the filmmaker made her world ‘so special’.

Karisma shared a still from Benegal’s 2001 film Zubeidaa in which she played the titular role. In another post on her Instagram Story, the actress shared a behind-the-scenes picture with the director from the film’s set. “Rest in Peace Shyam babu. Legend forever. Ur Zubeidaa… #ShyamBenegal,” she wrote in the caption. Her Zubeidaa co-star Lillete Dubey remembered Benegal as an ‘erudite, kind, intelligent and enormously talented’ filmmaker. In a long post on Instagram, filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj said Benegal’s death marks an end of an era.

Filmmaker Shoojit Sircar posted on his Instagram Stories, “A master from the golden era of Indian cinema, inspiring countless generations with timeless films.” Filmmaker Zoya Akhtar shared a photo of Benegal with her stepmother Azmi and Smita Patil, the actors of his acclaimed film Nishant, at its Cannes Film Festival premiere in 1976. Actor Shreyas Talpade called Benegal an ‘institution’ in himself. The duo worked together in the 2008 comedy drama Welcome To Sajjanpur.

Veteran actor Boman Irani, who starred in Benegal’s 2010 movie Well Done Abba, said there will never be ‘another filmmaker’ like him. Actor Randeep Hooda said Benegal will live on through his unforgettable films.

Fond memories

“Shyam Benegal has been my guru in everything, not just in acting but in the way I view the world. When I went abroad for Ankur with him to the Berlin Film Festival, as a young kid with stars in my eyes I wanted to run to the first shopping place. But he asked all kinds of questions to the taxi driver; he wanted to know about the garden and the history.” —Shabana Azmi, actress

“He made an unforgettable contribution to the Hindi film industry... He gave me my first break in the film Mandi... He discovered all the strong talents of the Mumbai film industry... I am grateful to him.” —Annu Kapoor, actor

“We have lost a diamond. In the 1970s, when most movies were about bandits or revenge, a new star of parallel cinema emerged. That star was Shyam Benegal.”

—Raza Murad, actor

“It was his genius to see me beyond my looks. He was very convinced that it is Manoj Bajpayee, who will do this role in Zubeidaa…I was very doubtful.”

—Manoj Bajpayee, actor

“India has lost the most humane storyteller of our time, and I’ve lost a guru. Shyam Benegal brought real India to the screen, making us love the ordinary while tackling profound social subjects.”

—Kamal Haasan, actor

“With Shyam Benegal, an era has ended. He waited to go till he met many of his loved ones on his 90th birthday, just a week ago. Sadly, I wasn’t in town so missed that last smile.” —Nandita Das, actress