Shyam Benegal

Shyam Benegal Biography

Shyam Benegal’s name is always among the pioneers of film makers of India. Most of his movies are trendsetters and stand as the big pillars of Indian cinema. He works most of offbeat and parallel movies and works with theatre artists most. He writes screenplay as well as direct movies. Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Smitha Patel, Om Puri, Amrish Puri, Raj Babbar, Kulbhushan Kharbanda and Anupam Kher are his all time favourites. He has won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi seven times. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1976 and the Padma Bhushan in 1991 and has been awarded Dada Saheb Phalke award in the year 2005. He gave new definitions to Indian cinema and they still stand as great wonders! Milestone movies of Indian film history directed by Shyam Benegal are - Ankur (1973), Nishant (1975), Trikal (1985), Mandi (1983), Manthan (1976) and Bhumika (1977). He has won awards for best movie and direction in many international film festivals as well.

He has also directed television serials – Yathra (1986) and Bharat ek khoj (1988). This 53 episode program was based on based on Jawaharlal Nehru's book, Discovery of India. He has also directed a few Muslim women oriented movies during 90’s and early 2000’s. Zubeidaa released in 2001 casted Rekha and Karishma Kapoor in leading roles and it was somewhat different from normal movies. Other women oriented periodic movies made by him are Mammo (1995) and Sardari Begum (1996). Benegal has also done movies based on social issues. Bhoomika is one such. He has also done movies based on small scale industries and firms started by villagers. Manthan (National Dairy Development Board), Susman (1987) (Handloom Co-operatives) and Yatra (1986) (Indian Railways) can be grouped under this category which handled general awareness program.

Shyam Benegal is such a genius and he has won National awards 18 times in multiple categories. He has won National awards for best director for the movie Trikal in the year 1986. He has won best feature film in Hindi for the movies – Zubeidaa, Suraj ka satwan ghoda, Nishant, Manthan, Arohan, Junoon and mammo. He won the second best feature film in Hindi for Ankur. He won best screenplay award for Bhoomika, Best feature film for Samar and Best Film on Other Social Issues for Well Done Abba in 2009. He won Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration for Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero in the year 2005 and Best Feature Film on Family Welfare for Hari-Bhari. He has also won Filmfare best director award for Junoon.  

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Updated: January 06, 2018