Shyam Benegal: Pioneer of India’s parallel cinema movement dies at 90

Benegal, celebrated for classics like Ankur and Manthan, shaped Indian cinema with socially impactful storytelling

Shyam Benegal (AFP via Getty Images)

Shyam Benegal, known as a pivotal figure in the Indian parallel cinema movement of the 1970s and 1980s, has died at the age of 90.

He died on Monday in Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra, due to a chronic kidney ailment, his daughter Pia confirmed to several Indian media outlets.

“He passed away at 6.38pm at Wockhardt Hospital Mumbai Central. He had been suffering from chronic kidney disease for several years but it had gotten very bad. That’s the reason for his death,” she said.

Benegal is celebrated for classics such as Ankur (1974), Nishant (1975), Manthan (1976), Mandi (1983), and Zubeidaa (2001), which explore themes of social reform, women’s rights, and the divisions inherent in Indian society.

A recipient of 18 National Film Awards, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award — India’s highest honour in cinema — and the civilian honours of Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan, Benegal’s contributions to cinema are unparalleled.

Born on 14 December 1934 in Hyderabad, in the south-central Indian state of Telangana, Benegal began his career in advertising before transitioning to filmmaking. His debut film, Ankur, set him apart with its incisive storytelling that explored the caste system and rural feudalism.

The filmmaker often expressed his dislike for the term “middle cinema”, frequently used to describe his films. “I hate that term. What is that? I would say my cinema appeals to the urban, middle-class literate audience who do not need to be spoon-fed,” he told Hindustan Times in 2023.

On the subject of filmmaking, Benegal was clear — his politics influenced every single one of his works. “I don’t remember who said this: ‘Every social act of yours is also a political act whether you like it or not,’” he told the Press Trust of <em>India</em> in a 2022 interview.

“One has to be as objective as possible and the second point is to be sympathetic. If you are not objective, you are already colouring the story with your subjectivity. Sympathy is necessary. When I say sympathy, I mean empathy so you can be one with the subject.”

Ankur, which played at the Berlinale and was nominated for the Golden Berlin Bear, went on to win multiple national film awards and launched the career of actor Shabana Azmi. Benegal is also credited with launching and advancing the careers of several other celebrated Indian actors, including Smita Patil, Naseeruddin Shah, Saeed Jaffrey, and Om Puri.

His film Manthan, set within the backdrop of the world’s largest dairy development programme in India, centred on the idea of rural empowerment. The first crowdfunded Indian film, it was entirely produced from funds provided by 500,000 farmers who donated Rs 2 (£0.019) each. A restoration of the film released in the Cannes Classics section in 2024.

His next film, Bhumika in 1977, focused on women’s rights. He followed up with Junoon in 1979, a film based on Ruskin Bond’s novella, A Flight of Pigeons, and followed the Indian Rebellion of 1857 against the British. Among his other most memorable films are Kalyug (1981), a modern-day adaptation of the Indian epic Mahabharat; Mandi (1983), a satirical comedy about a brothel located on prime real estate that attracts the attention of politicians who want it moved; and Zubeidaa (2001), based on the life of the ill-fated actress Zubeida Begum, who marries into a royal family.

Benegal’s contributions extend beyond cinema. His 53-episode television drama Bharat Ek Khoj (1988), based on Jawaharlal Nehru’s The Discovery of India, is still regarded as one of the most influential works on the history of the Indian subcontinent. In 2014, he created Samvidhaan, a 10-episode television mini-series on the making of the Constitution of India.

His last work was the India-Bangladesh co-production Mujib: The Making of a Nation (2023), a biopic on the life of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father and first president of Bangladesh.

Just a few days before his death, several actors gathered to celebrate his 90th birthday, with Azmi sharing what may have been one of the last photographs of the filmmaker.

In the photo are Azmi, Shah, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Divya Dutta, Rajit Kapur, Atul Tiwari, among others.

On his birthday, in an interview with PTI, Benegal described how he spent the day, adding that he was still working. “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.”

Tributes poured in for Benegal as soon as news of his death broke.

“It is impossible to describe in a few words what Shyam meant to me. I wonder what I would have become if he hadn’t had faith in me when no one else did. He and Nira (Benegal, wife) were a huge support in my difficult days. He did whatever he could with his life - right to the end. Not many people can claim to have done that,” Naseeruddin Shah said in a statement, reported The Hindu.

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi said: “Deeply saddened by the passing of Shri Shyam Benegal Ji, whose storytelling had a profound impact on Indian cinema. His works will continue to be admired by people from different walks of life. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti.”

“He created ‘the new wave’ cinema. Shyam Benegal will always be remembered as the man that changed the direction of Indian Cinema with films like Ankur, Manthan and countless others. He created stars of great actors like Shabama Azmi and Smita Patil. Farewell my friend and guide,” wrote filmmaker Shekhar Kapur.

“Saddened by the passing of Shyam Benegal ji, a visionary filmmaker who brought India’s stories to life with depth and sensitivity. His legacy in cinema and commitment to social issues will inspire generations. Heartfelt condolences to his loved ones and admirers worldwide,” the leader of the opposition in India, Rahul Gandhi, posted on X.