Legendary filmmaker and Dadasaheb Phalke Award winner Shyam Benegal , 90, passed away in Mumbai on December 23 after battling chronic kidney issues. In a career spanning five decades, Benegal made over 20 feature films and 70 documentaries and shorts, rooted in social issues and often showcasing strong female characters and voices. His 1974 debut Ankur – a critique of the caste system – received widespread acclaim. He continued to break molds with Nishant (1975), Manthan (1976) and Bhumika (1977), emerging as the flagbearer of arthouse cinema and a master storyteller. A recipient of 18 National Awards, Benegal was equally celebrated for his documentary work. His tribute, Satyajit Ray, Filmmaker (1979), became a part of the film school curriculum. Mujib: The Making of a Nation (2023), a biopic on Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was his last film.
‘We adored his calm demeanour while filming Bose’
Last month marked 20 years since Shyam Benegal’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero captivated audiences at its London Film Festival premiere. The film brought Bose’s daring escape, wartime diplomacy, and unwavering resolve to life. With Sachin Khedekar delivering a powerful performance as Netaji, the ensemble cast included Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Rajit Kapur, Arif Zakaria, and Divya Dutta. Jisshu U Sengupta and filmmaker Arindam Sil, who also starred in the film, reflect on their experiences of being part of this masterpiece.
Jisshu, who reprised the role of Sisir Bose, Netaji’s nephew in the film remembers Benegal for his calmness on set, “I remember while filming Netaji, the way he used to explain each scene to all the actors, including veterans, made our tasks easy. His passing is definitely the end of a glorious chapter in Indian cinema , but he will live with us forever.” Arindam Sil said, “He had an eye for detail and trusted his senior technicians immensely. We spent a lot of time together talking about the film’s production and cinema as a whole.”
Sandip Ray: Shyamji’s demise is a personal loss to us. He always used to tell me that ‘Manik da’s (Satyajit Ray) work is unique; it transcends borders.’ He was extremely well-read, and each of the adda sessions with him was incredibly enriching. He was also an equally captivating orator. I still remember how the audience was mesmerised by him at the Satyajit Ray Memorial Lecture. His legacy will live forever.