Entertainment News | Shyam Benegal: A Look at 10 Pathbreaking Movies by the Filmmaker
Get latest articles and stories on Entertainment at LatestLY. Filmmaker Shyam Benegal, who passed away in Mumbai at the age of 90, heralded a parallel cinema movement in the 1970s and 1980s with his realistic portrayal of societal issues.
New Delhi, Dec 24 (PTI) Filmmaker Shyam Benegal, who passed away in Mumbai at the age of 90, heralded a parallel cinema movement in the 1970s and 1980s with his realistic portrayal of societal issues.
Here's a look at some of the most iconic movies of the legendary director.
*Ankur - Benegal made a powerful debut in 1974 with "Ankur", a searing and impactful portrayal of class, caste, power and exploitation in rural India. It also marked the first feature film of Shabana Azmi, who went on to become Benegal's frequent collaborator.
The film follows the story of an upper caste son of the village landlord, played by Anant Nag, who becomes involved with his lower caste servant's wife (Azmi). It explores themes of oppression, infidelity, and retaliation by the oppressed.
*Nishant (1975) - Once again set in a village, "Nishant" revolves around a group of powerless villagers who are unable to take a stand against the corrupt feudal system.
This movie reunited Benegal with Azmi and introduced another stalwart of Indian cinema, Naseeruddin Shah, who went on to work with the director in many of his later films.
How women were the main victims of village politics and patriarchy was a theme Benegal touched upon in the movie. Also starring Girish Karnad, Amrish Puri, Mohan Agashe, Nag and Smita Patil, the film was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 1976 Cannes Film Festival.
*Manthan (1976) - It was inspired by the groundbreaking milk cooperative movement by Dr Verghese Kurien that transformed India into one of the largest milk producers in the world.
"Manthan", or "Churning" in English, was financed by 5 lakh farmers of Gujarat 48 years ago who contributed Rs 2 each. The opening credits of the movie read: "500,000 Farmers of Gujarat presents."
The film tells the inspiring story of how a young veterinary doctor (Girish Karnad) fights against oppressive forces to establish a milk cooperative that empowers rural farmers.
It also starred Smita Patil, Naseeruddin Shah, and Amrish Puri. A restored version of the film was showcased under the Cannes Classics segment at the Cannes Film Festival in May.
*Bhumika (1977) - Benegal reunited with Patil, Shah and Nag for the movie which was based on the autobiography of the doyenne of Marathi theatre and cinema Hansa Wadkar.
It explored the life of an actress in a male-dominated industry, delving into themes of choice, control, and the assumption of responsibility for one's actions.
Also starring Amol Palekar and Amrish Puri, "Bhumika" is considered one of the best biopics on an Indian movie star.
*Junoon (1978) - Adapted from author Ruskin Bond's novella "A Flight of Pigeons", the period film marked Benegal's first association with Bollywood star Shashi Kapoor, who also turned producer with the project.
Set around the Rebellion of 1857, the movie featured Kapoor's wife Jennifer Kendal as well as Azmi, Shah, Nafisa Ali, Tom Alter, Kulbhushan Kharbanda and Deepti Naval.
The film narrated a story of a rebel, possessed by his desire for a teenage British girl. He shelters her and her family, stretching the limits of what is permissible in traditional Indian culture.
*Kalyug (1981) - The film was a modern day retelling of the mythical epic Mahabharatha, set in a contemporary corporate milieu. Benegal directed the movie from a screenplay co-written by him and eminent actor-playwright Girish Karnad.
It featured Shashi Kapoor alongside Rekha, Anant Nag, Raj Babbar, Supriya Pathak, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Victor Bannerjee, Reema Lagoo, and AK Hangal. The film was praised for the way it explored themes of power, greed and familial conflict, with critics particularly taking note of Benegal's ability to weave a complex narrative.
*Mandi (1983) - Considered one of the best films of Benegal's career, the film was a poignant exploration of the lives of women working in the sex trade. Based on Urdu short story "Anandi" by Ghulam Abbas, the movie stood out for its dark humour and layered commentary on gender, class and double standards of the society.
Patil, Shah and Azmi were universally praised for their performances in the movie, which also featured actors Neena Gupta, Om Puri, Saeed Jaffrey, Annu Kapoor, Satish Kaushik, Pankaj Kapur, Amrish Puri and Ila Arun.
*Mammo (1994) - The movie started a trilogy with Muslim women as protagonists. Starring Farida Jalal and late Surekha Sikri in lead roles, the movie was a tender drama about an elderly woman who spent the bulk of her adult life in Pakistan, while her sisters live in India.
After her husband dies and she is ill-treated by his relatives, she lands up in Mumbai, upturning the lives of her sister Fayyazi and Fayyazi's orphaned grandson Riyaz.
The movie won Sikri a National Award for best supporting actress and also starred Rajit Kapur. It was followed by "Sardari Begum" in 1996, which is considered the second part of the trilogy.
*Zubeidaa (2001) - The third part of the trilogy focussed on the life story of Zubeida Begum, whose son, former journalist Khalid Mohamed, wrote the screenplay of the film.
In the film, Benegal beautifully captured the inner turmoil of a woman torn between societal expectations and personal freedom. It featured Karisma Kapoor as Zubeida, an aspiring Muslim actress, who marries a Hindu prince (Manoj Bajpayee) and becomes his second wife.
The critically-acclaimed movie also starred Manoj Bajpayee, Rekha, Surekha Sikri, Lillette Dubey and Rajit Kapur.
*Mujib: The Making of a Nation (2023) - The final film of Benegal's life chronicled the story of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father and first president of Bangladesh. A co-production between Bangladesh and India, the film featured a virtually Bangladeshi cast led by Arifin Shuvoo as Rahman.
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