Veteran filmmaker Shyam Benegal, credited as the pioneer of Parallel Cinema in India has passed away at 90. The filmmaker died at around 6:30 pm at the Wockhardt Hospital in Mumbai, as per his daughter Pia Benegal. The frontrunner of the new wave of Indian cinema was hospitalised just days after he turned 90 on December 14. Benegal is survived by Nira Benegal and their daughter, Pia Benegal.

His daughter Pia Benegal revealed that her father was suffering from chronic kidney disease. “He passed away at 6.38 pm at Wockhardt Hospital Mumbai Central. He had been suffering from chronic kidney disease for several years but it had gotten very bad. That’s the reason for his death.”

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The filmmaker celebrated his birthday on December 14 with close friends and family. Actors Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Naseeruddin Shah, Divya Dutta, Shabana Azmi, Rajit Kapur, and Atul Tiwari were a part of the celebrations among others. Moreover, on his 90^th birthday, Shyam Benegal told PTI that he was working on two to three projects. “We all grow old. I don’t do anything great (on my birthday). It may be a special day but I don’t celebrate it specifically. I cut a cake at the office with my team.” He added, “I’m working on two to three projects; they are all different from one another. It’s difficult to say which one I will make. They are all for the big screen.”

BIG BREAKING #ShyamBenegal #RIP #BreakingNews #Bollywood pic.twitter.com/nV1RNgu7aP

— The Statesman (@TheStatesmanLtd) December 23, 2024

The filmmaker is credited with shaping the trajectory of filmmaking in India, opening up new horizons of cinematic arts. His avant-garde style makes him a towering figure of Indian cinema who has paved the way for numerous visionary filmmakers. Benegal’s contribution to reel and cinema remains unparalleled. During his illustrious career, Shyam Benegal received numerous accolades and gave the country some of its best films ever.

In 2005, he was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India’s highest award in the field of cinema. Prior to this, in 1976, he was honoured by the Government of India with the Padma Shri. Subsequently, in 1991, he was awarded Padma Bhushan for his unwavering commitment to the augmentation of the field of cinema.

Also Read: Shabana Azmi and Naseeruddin Shah reunite to celebrate Shyam Benegal’s 90th birthday

Meanwhile, Benegal’s first four feature films ‘Ankur’ (1973), ‘Nishant’ (1975), ‘Manthan’ (1976) and ‘Bhumika’ (1977) made him a pioneering figure of Parallel cinema in India. His other notable works include ‘Zubeidaa’ (2001) and ‘Mammo’ (1994) among others. Notably, Benegal won the National Film Award 18 times. Moreover, in 2018, he was awarded the V. Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award.