Renowned film-maker Shyam Benegal was cremated with state honours at Mumbai's Shivaji Park Electric Crematarium. His friends and family attended his funeral. The filmmaker had been suffering from a chronic kidney-related disease. 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 legendary filmmaker was admitted to the intensive care unit at Mumbai's Wockhardt Hospital, just days after he turned 90. December 14 marked Benegal's 90th birthday.Despite age-related ailments, including frequent hospital visits for dialysis three times a week, Shyam Benegal was committed to his passion for filmmaking till the very end. Throughout his career, Shyam Benegal received numerous accolades, including the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India's highest honour in cinema. He was honoured with the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi seven times and received the V Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018.
Benegal ushered in New Cinema in India, a wave of filmmaking where stories took precedence over the box office, and actors ranked above stars.His first feature film was Ankur (1973), followed by Nishant (1975), Manthan (1976), and Bhumika (1977). With this quartet of films, Benegal introduced India to parallel cinema.His second film, Nishant, was in competition at the Cannes International Film Festival in 1976. It was nominated for the Palme d'Or, and won a bevy of awards back home in India, including the National Film Award for the Best Feature Film in Hindi. Shyam Benegal is survived by wife Nira Benegal and daughter, Pia Benegal.