Shyam Benegal, India's Parallel Cinema pioneer, dies aged 90

Acclaimed director Shyam Benegal, who heralded the Indian parallel cinema movement in the 1970s and 1980s with a body of work known for its realism and social commentary, breaking away from the conventions of mainstream Indian cinema, died today (23 December) at the age of 90.

The director has made several award-winning films in his career which include Ankur, Bhumika, Manthan and Nishant.

The filmmaker's daughter Pia Benegal confirmed the news of his death to Hindustan Times this evening. "He had been unwell for few years. Had chronic kidney disease. It had become severe and we knew this would happen. He passed away today at 6:38pm at Wockhardt Hospital Bombay Central," she said.

The veteran director celebrated his 90th birthday a few days ago in Mumbai with his family and close friends from the industry. Actor Shabana Azmi, who debuted in the film industry with Benegal's Ankur, had shared a picture from the celebrations on her X handle. It also featured actor Naseeruddin Shah in the same frame.

The filmmaker was known for his rich body of work which broke away from the norms of traditional mainstream cinema. His films were marked by a degree of realism and social commentary, and helped in Indian parallel cinema movement in the 1970s and 1980s. He has won multiple National Awards for movies including, Bhumika: The Role (1977), Junoon (1978), Arohan (1982), Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero (2004), Manthan (1976), and Well Done Abba (2010).

In a recent interaction with PTI on his birthday, he said: "We all grow old. I don't do anything great (on my birthday). It may be a special day but I don't celebrate it specifically. I cut a cake at the office with my team. I'm working on two to three projects; they are all different from one another. It's difficult to say which one I will make. They are all for the big screen."

The 2023 biographical drama Mujib: The Making of a Nation was his last directorial feature.

Earlier this year, one of the filmmaker's most noted work, Manthan, was screened at the Cannes Film Festival. A restored version of the 1976 release, starring Naseeruddin Shah and the late actor Smita Patil, inspired by the groundbreaking milk cooperative movement by Dr Verghese Kurien that transformed India into one of the largest milk producers in the world, was showcased under the Cannes Classics segment.

The film won two National Film Awards in 1977: for best feature film in Hindi and for best screenplay for Tendulkar. It was also India's official entry to the 1976 Academy Awards in the best foreign language film category.

The director had skipped the premiere due to health reasons, and recalled how the farmers of Gujarat also made the film a hit by watching it en masse in theatres.