Shyam Benegal,
14 December 1934 (Tirumalagiri, Secunderabad) -
23 December 2024 (age 90 years).

Shyam Benegal — the boy from Alwal who put Hyderabad on national movie map.

He was the State cycling champion and State swimming champion, recalled his junior in college and long time associate Shankar Melkote.

He used to cycle from Alwal to Nizam College. Can you believe that? He was the State cycling champion and State swimming champion, recalled his junior in college and long time associate Shankar Melkote“Shyam is an Alwal boy. He lived here. He swam in the wells here. His first films were made in Hyderabad and its surrounding villages,” said filmmaker B. Narsing Rao when informed about the passing away of Dadasaheb Phalke Award winner Shyam Benegal.

Benegal was born in Hyderabad to Sridhar B. Benegal who was prominent in the field of photography.[3] Starting his career as a copywriter, he made his first Documentary film in Gujarati, Gher Betha Ganga (Ganges at the Doorstep) in 1962. Benegal's first four feature films Ankur (1973), Nishant (1975), Manthan (1976) and Bhumika (1977) made him a pioneer of the new wave film movement of that period.[4] Benegal's films, Mammo (1994), along with Sardari Begum (1996) and Zubeidaa (2001) all of which won National Film Awards for Best Feature Film in Hindi, form the Muslim women Trilogy.[5] Benegal has won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi seven times. He was awarded the V. Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018.

Cousin - the legendary Guru Dutt.

A big loss to the world of cinema. Earlier this year, I had the privilege of watching Manthan, his marquee film in a restored format. What a lovely experience!

Of course, Mammo is one of my other all-time favorites from him.

Good to see you active, Deep. Did you get a chance to watch Manthan during its re-release this year? I also watched the Raj Kapoor films that were re-released this month - Awaara, Barsaat, Shree 420, Sangam, to be exact. Also, the National Museum of Indian Cinema in Peddar Road screens restored movies every Saturday - watched Baap Re Baap, Kaagaz Ke Phool, Pyaasa and Chori Chori as part of it.