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Shyam Benegal: Weaver of on-screen realism

Shyam Benegal’s romance with filmmaking began at the age of 12. When other children were busy with schoolwork and games, Benegal made his first home-movie using a hand-cranked camera. His keen observation, sensitivity and creativity were already taking shape. A maestro was in the making, who would dare to orchestrate films on causes dear to his heart.

Shivangi Singh
Shyam Benegal’s romance with filmmaking began at the age of 12. When other children were busy with schoolwork and games, Benegal made his first home-movie using a hand-cranked camera. His keen observation, sensitivity and creativity were already taking shape. A maestro was in the making, who would dare to orchestrate films on causes dear to his heart. Born on 14th December 1934 in Alwal, Secunderabad, Benegal was one of the 10 children of a still-photographer. This explains his fascination with camera from a very early age. Nephew of the legendary actor-director Guru Dutt, he got into acting while studying at Osmania University where he earned an MA in Economics. He founded the Hyderabad Film Society as a college student. He went to Mumbai after graduation, where he was promised a lucrative job. But to his shock, he found that the job did not exist. However he soon found a job with an ad-agency and eventually became the creative head of the company. He remained there for more than a decade. In 1969, he was granted a special fellowship to study operations of the Children`s Television Workshop in New York. Later he did a brief stint as a TV producer in Boston. But he actually got into filmmaking at the age of 40 by directing his first film ‘Ankur’. He was one of the progenitors of New India Cinema of 1970s and 1980s, which got a major impetus through his quartet Ankur (1973), Nishant (1975), Manthan (1976) and Bhumika (1977). Ankur deals with exploitation and abandoning of a servant girl, chronicling the exploitative and brutal Zamindari system. The film is memorable in its sensitive detailing and treatment of village life. In Nishant, a teacher`s wife is kidnapped and raped by four Zamindars but officials ignore the husband`s pleas for help. Manthan, set against the backdrop of Gujarat`s dairy industry was an experimental film, in the sense that its producers were 5 lakh farmers of Gujarat who contributed Rs 2 to produce the film. They thronged to the theatres in truck-loads and bullock carts to ensure the success of the film. As a result, Manthan was a super hit at the Box Office. One of the best films of Benegal is Bhumika. The film is based on the life of Marathi stage and screen actress of the 1930s and 1940s, Hansa Wadkar, who lead a very unconventional life. The film is based on the protagonist’s search for identity and self-fulfilment. Credit goes to Benegal for discovering great talents from the FTII, NSD and the stage. Actors like Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Smita Patil, Kulbhushan Kharbanda and Amrish Puri, were almost always a part of his insightful and sensitive movies. As against New Cinema Filmmakers, Benegal has had private backers for many of his films. Financed by film star Shashi Kapoor, he made Junoon (1979) and Kalyug (1981). Junoon is set in the turbulent period of the Indian Mutiny of 1857 and it is one of Benegal`s most stylish films till date. Kalyug can be considered a modern-day Mahabharata, where two big industrial families are locked in a battle. His next film, starring Shabana Azmi and Smita Patil, Mandi (1983) was a satirical comedy about politics and prostitution. After the decline of the New India Cinema in 1980s, Benegal turned to TV. He successfully directed serials like Yatra (1986) for the Indian Railways, and Bharat Ek Khoj (1988), a serial based on Nehru`s Discovery of India. In 1990s, after a gap of six years, Benegal returned to filmmaking. He made Suraj ka Saatwaan Ghoda (1992) and Samar (1998), which particularly stand out in this period. Suraj ka Saatwaan Ghoda is based on Dharmveer Bharati`s well-known work that focuses on a bachelor who relates the stories of three women who came into his life. The film is an abject reflection on shifting social values and deals with the theme of growing up. In Samar, Benegal makes use of film-within-film style replete with irony and wit to expose caste prejudice. Zubeidaa (2001) had all the ingredients to be a blockbuster at the Box Office. But it ended up as an average production and failed to recreate the excellence created by Bhumika, which dealt with a similar theme. Similar fate befell his Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero (2005). His most recent project is `Mahadev`, an unusual mix of a satire and a romantic comedy set against the backdrop of rural India. Shreyas Talpade and Amrita Rao have been signed for the lead role and the movie will release in 2008. Shyam Benegal is also directing an interesting epic musical `Chamki`, inspired by George Bizet`s classic Spanish opera Carmen. The story revolves around the protagonist Chamki, a fascinating but fiery gypsy girl. The film seems very promising with biggies like AR Rahman and Javed Akhtar involved in the project. The film is in its initial stage and will go on floor in October 2008. His other upcoming project is the story of a spy, `Noor Inayat Khan` - a descendant of Tipu Sultan, who worked as a British-Indian spy during the World War II. Apart from feature films, Benegal has made several documentaries that include Child of the Streets (1967), Nehru (1983), Satyajit Ray (1984) and Nature Symphony (1990). Practically all his films have been conferred national awards and several of them have been awarded internationally. At present, he runs a film production company in Mumbai called Shyam Benegal Sahyadri Films. Rooted in realism, Benegal’s style is unique in perspective with a carefully drawn narrative line and well-sketched characters. Although the movies are slow in pace, but they offer an unusual, insightful and panoramic depth in the theme, enlivened by sensitive observation and minute attention to details. An ardent admirer of Satyajit Ray, his films are very much reminiscent of the Bengali legend’s films. One can’t help saluting this unique filmmaker who has given his entire life to films and has fervently worked to bring into forefront the social diseases which have been eating our society. As against the romance and extravagance prevalent in Bollywood, his films dare to be realistic and hard hitting. He doesn’t care for commercial success, which is just momentary, but what he has been creating on the silver screen will haunt generations to come. Awards National Film Awards 1975 Second Best Feature Film for Ankur 1976 Best Feature Film in Hindi for Nishant 1977 Best Feature Film in Hindi for Manthan 1978 Best Screenplay for Bhumika 1979 Best Feature Film in Hindi for Junoon 1982 Best Feature Film in Hindi for Arohan 1984 Best Historical Reconstruction for Nehru 1985 Best Biographical Film for Satyajit Ray, Filmmaker 1986 Best Director for Trikaal 1993 Best Feature Film in Hindi for Suraj Ka Satvan Ghoda 1995 Best Feature Film in Hindi for Mammo 1996 Best Feature Film in English for The Making of the Mahatma 1997 Best Feature Film in Urdu for Sardari Begum 1999 Best Feature Film for Samar 1999 Best Feature Film on Family Welfare for Hari-Bhari 2001 Best Feature Film in Hindi for Zubeidaa 2005 Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration for Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero Filmfare Awards 1980 Best Director for Junoon 1982 Best Director for Kalyug Cannes Film Festival 1976 Palme D`Or for Nishant Berlin International Film Festival 1974 Golden Berlin Bear for Ankur Moscow International Film Festival 1981 Golden Prize for Kalyug 1997 Golden St. George for Sardari Begum Honours 1976 - Padma Shri 1991 - Padma Bhushan 2004 - Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration 2006 - Dadasaheb Phalke Award