Renowned filmmaker Shyam Benegal dies at 90, was unwell for several days

Veteran director and screenwriter Shyam Benegal died on December 23 at 6:30 pm, his daughter Pia Benegal confirmed to India Today.

In Short

• Shyam Benegal died in Mumbai, had a chronic kidney disease
• Celebrated his 90th birthday on December 14 in presence of many actors
• Received Padma Shri in 1976, the Padma Bhushan in 1991

Renowned filmmaker Shyam Benegal died on Monday after days of suffering from a chronic kidney-related disease. The 90-year-old filmmaker died at around 6:30 pm at the Wockhardt Hospital in Mumbai, his daughter Pia Benegal confirmed to India Today.

Shyam Benegal was known for films like Ankur, Mandi, Manthan and more, most of which were released in the mid-70s or 80s, and came to be known as part of parallel cinema in India.

The filmmaker celebrated his birthday on December 14 with friends and family. Actors Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Naseeruddin Shah, Divya Dutta, Shabana Azmi, Rajit Kapur, Atul Tiwari, filmmaker-actor and Shashi Kapoor's son Kunal Kapoor, and others, were a part of the grand celebration.

Benegal was honoured by the Government of India with the Padma Shri in 1976 and the Padma Bhushan in 1991. He also received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest honour in Indian cinema, in 2005. His successful films include Manthan, Zubeidaa and Sardaari Begum.

Shyam Benegal, born on December 14, 1934, in Hyderabad, hailed from a Konkani-speaking Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin family. His father, Sridhar B. Benegal, originally from Karnataka, was a photographer who inspired Shyam’s early interest in filmmaking. At just 12 years old, Shyam created his first film using a camera gifted by his father. He went on to earn a Master’s degree in Economics from Osmania University, Hyderabad, where he also founded the Hyderabad Film Society, marking the beginning of his illustrious journey in cinema.

Some of his notable works include Ankur, Manthan, Mandi, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero, Zubeidaa, Well Done Abba and more.

Benegal's funeral will take place on Tuesday, December 24 at 2 pm at Mumbai's Shivaji Park Electric Crematarium, his family announced late on Monday.