Legendary filmmaker Shyam Benegal, considered one of the greatest visionaries of Indian cinema, has passed away at the age of 90. Benegal died at Wockhardt Hospital in Mumbai, where he was undergoing treatment for chronic kidney disease. In his career spanning decades, the filmmaker worked with actors including Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil, Amrish Puri, Girish Karnad, and Kulbhushan Kharbanda. His most notable collaboration was with Naseeruddin.
In an old interview, Naseeruddin spoke volumes about the filmmaker who brought him into mainstream cinema by casting him in his 1975 film Nishant.
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The actor told WildFilmsIndia, “The most memorable thing for me is that he gave me my first film and my first pay cheque. But the important thing about Shyam is that he opened the door for many filmmakers who wanted to make films that believed in him. He still continues to make films that he believes in and has not jumped on the bandwagon. I feel very privileged and proud to be a part of his work.”
He added, “They have succeeded in breaking the market of multi-star films by making small films without big stars and communicating well to the audience. He was able to connect to a larger group. “
Shyam Benegal and Naseeruddin Shah also worked together in films like Manthan, Junoon, Mandi and Trikal.
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The filmmaker’s funeral will be held on Wednesday.
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