Benegal, doyen of parallel cinema, dies at 90

Pioneer of parallel cinema, gateway to Indian cinema, “chalta phirta” encyclopaedia, egalitarian who espoused the cause of justice, women and the underprivileged… renowned filmmaker Shyam Benegal will be remembered in many ways.

But frankly there is no one word, epithet in which one can sum up the legendary Benegal, who was a Dadasaheb Phalke and Padma Bhushan awardee, besides being the winner of 18 National Awards. No less than an institution, he gave Indian cinema a unique identity, sprouted new seeds of cinematic vision. Ironically, at 90, he passes in the year in which first his path-breaking film “Ankur” completes 50 years. Since 1974 when he created seminal “Ankur” exposing the caste system based on his own short story, he went on to create innumerable gems.

“Nishant”, “Mandi”, “Bhumika”, “Manthan”, “Zubeidaa”, “Junoon”, “Kalyug”… hard to pick one out of his filmography which was as vast as deep explorations of society and human mind.

As he finds a permanent place in the annals of cinematic history, he recreated history in more than one movie and television series, most notable being the 53-episode “Bharat Ek Khoj”, based on Jawaharlal Nehru’s book “Discovery of India”.

He even directed “Jang-e-Azadi”, a 90-minute documentary for the Jang-e-Azadi museum in Kartarpur, Punjab.

Only two years ago, he was on the sets directing “Mujib: The Making of a Nation”, a biopic on Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The film may have opened to tepid reviews in India, but he was more than happy that it ran houseful in Bangladesh.

Be it the “Making of Mahatma” or “Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero”, he believed a filmmaker had to function like a historian and could not let personal biases creep in.

In fact, he held no prejudices and never discriminated among his cast and crew either. His actors swore by how calm and composed he was on the sets where no one was meted out star treatment. Certainly, not his talented daughter — costume designer Pia Benegal.

Brought up in a family of six sisters, women had a special place in his life and cinema too. Be it “Bhumika”, “Mandi” or “Mammo” and more, whatever be their characterisations, they were always painted with grace and sensitivity.

He had an eye for detail and his associates would share how even a small vessel would not make it on to the film if it did not fit the larger culture-specific picture he had in mind.

Born in Hyderabad on December 14, 1934, the Dakhni dialect would manifest in many of his films.

He had an uncanny sixth sense for spotting talent too. With pride he would share how he met Shabana Azmi for the first time and introduced her in “Ankur”. He discovered yet another talented actor Smita Patil for the world and gave a break to many actors considered powerhouses of talent today.

Influenced more by Satyajit Ray than his cousin Guru Dutt, his cinema bore his own inimitable stamp and no one could ever put him in a box.

Though cinephiles tend to associate him more with serious sombre cinema, he made comedies like “Welcome to Sajjanpur” and satires like “Well Done Abba!”

In an interview a few years ago when asked about how he found so much energy, his sharp repartee was, “Do you want me to retire?”

Today gods may have made him hang his boots, but as long as he lived, but for a brief period of illness, his razor-sharp mind and clarity of vision never deserted him. Nor did his ideology ever waver.

For a generation that believes in razzamatazz and publicity paraphernalia of media professionals, the accessible maker will forever stand as an inspiring example of how nothing speaks more loud and clear than your hard work and integrity towards your muse.