Shyam Benegal
One of the pioneers of the new cinema in India, Shyam Benegal has been considered one of the leading filmmakers of the country ever since his first feature film, ANKUR was released. His films have been seen and
acclaimed widely in India and at International film festivals for the last three decades. The core subjects of his films have been varied in nature but mainly centered around contemporary Indian experience. Problems of development, social and cultural change appear on many levels as a continuing thread in practically all his films. Apart from fiction features, he has made a number of documentaries on different subjects ranging from cultural anthropology and problems of industrialization, to music and so on. His work on television consists of several popular series based on international stories, short stories by well-known Indian writers and a mammoth 53 part series on the history of India based on Jawaharlal Nehru’s book Discovery of India. He has also made an extra-mural educational series for rural children sponsored by UNICEF.
Shyam Benegal taught mass-communication techniques between 1966 and 1973 and later took an active role in shaping film education as Chairman of the Film Television Institute of India during 1980-83 and 1989-92.
As a person deeply committed to social integration in India, Shyam Benegal was part of the National Integration Council (1986-89) and the National Council of Art. The Government of India has conferred on him two of its most prestigious awards – PADMA SHRI (1976) and PADMA BHUSHAN (1991).
In 2004, he was awarded the Indira Gandhi National Integration Award.
Shyam Benegal’s career started with a job as a copywriter in advertising from where he graduated to become the Creative & Accounts Group Head before becoming a full time filmmaker. He has lectured at many institutions in India and abroad as well as participated in seminars on subjects dealing with Cinema, Television, Information Technology and different aspects of social and cultural change.
He has made 24 fiction features for the Cinema, several documentaries and TV series, notably a 53 hour TV series on the History of India.
Practically all his films have won national awards and several of them have been awarded internationally. He was a Homi Bhabha fellow (1970-72) during which time, he studied Children’s Television with CTW in New York and worked as Associate Producer with WGBH, Boston. Shyam Benegal runs a film production company in Mumbai.
Source : http://in.movies.yahoo.com/artists/Shyam-Benegal/biography-14302.html
Personal Profile (Personal Biography)
Date of Birth: 14 December, 1934
Birth Place: Trimulgherry, Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh
Occupation: Film director & Screenwriter
Graduation: Nizam College, Osmania University, Hyderabad
Created a new genre: Middle cinema
Wife: Neera Benegal
Uncle: Guru Dutt
In 1959, Benegal started his career as an advertising copywriter, at a Bombay-based advertising agency. Shyam also taught at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune and twice served as the institute’s chairman.
List of Films by Shyam Benegal
Director: Welcome To Sajjanpur (2008), Bose: The Forgotten Hero (2005), Zubeidaa (2001), Hari-Bhari: Fertility (2000), Samar (1999), Sardari Begum (1997), Gandhi Se Mahatma Tak (1996), Mammo (1995), Sooraj Ka Satwan Ghoda (1993), Antarnaad (1992), Aarohan (1982), Satyajit Ray (1982), Trikaal (1988), Susman (1988), Mandi (1983), Kalyug (1981), Junoon (1979), Bhumika (1977), Manthan (1977), Nishant (1975), Charandas Chor (1975), Ankur (1974), Torpedo (1941)
Screenplay: Trikaal (1988), Mandi (1983), Bhumika (1977)
Producer: Sardari Begum (1997), Sooraj Ka Satwan Ghoda (1993), Antarnaad (1992), Susman (1988)
Story Writer: Chamki Chameli (2008), Trikaal (1988), Kalyug (1981), Junoon (1979), Manthan (1977), Ankur (1974)
Awards
National Film Awards
Won Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration for Netaji
Subhash Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero (2005) in 2005.
Won Best Feature Film in Hindi for Zubeidaa (2001) in 2001
Won Best Feature Film on Family Welfare for Hari-Bhari (2000) in 2000
Won Best Feature Film for Samar (1999) in 1999
Won Best Feature Film in Urdu for Sardari Begum (1997) in 1997
Won Best Feature Film in English for The Making of the Mahatma (1996) in 1996
Won Best Feature Film in Hindi for Mammo (1995) in 1995
Won Second Best Feature Film Award for Ankur (1974) in 1995
Won Best Feature Film in Hindi for Suraj Ka Satvan Ghoda (1993) in 1993
Won Best Director for Trikaal (1988) in1986
Won Best Biographical Film for Satyajit Ray (1982) in 1985
Won Best Historical Reconstruction for Nehru (1982) in 1984
Won Best Feature Film in Hindi for Arohan (1982) in 1982
Won Best Feature Film in Hindi for Junoon (1979) in 1979
Won Best Screenplay for Bhumika (1977) in 1978
Won Best Feature Film in Hindi for Manthan (1977) in 1977
Won Best Feature Film in Hindi for Nishant (1975) in 1976
Filmfare Awards
Won Best Director for Kalyug (1981) in 1982
Won Best Director for Junoon (1979) in 1980
Cannes Film Festival
Nominated in Golden Palm for Nishant (1975) in 1976
Berlin International Film Festival
Nominated in Golden Berlin Bear for Ankur (1974) in 1974
Moscow International Film Festival
Nominated in Golden St. George Award for Sardari Begum (1997) in 1997
Won Golden Prize for Kalyug (1981) in 1981
Honours
Received Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2006
Received Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration in 2004
Received Padma Bhushan in 1991
Received Sovietland Nehru Award in 1989
Received Padma Shri in 1976
Received Homi Bhabha Fellowship (1970-72) in 1970
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