An Artist’s Reflective Voyage through the Lens

Arijit Ray

In refusing to preach, yet being intrepid to probe, there lies a deeper state of consciousness in the realm of true art. He created a profound cinematic journey in that very space that could give the efficacious ‘voice’ to countless characters of the country. ShyamBenegal, one of India’s most celebrated cinema-creator, is widely regarded as the pioneering figure in what then emerged as to be known as ‘New Wave’ Indian ‘Parallel Cinema’ encapsulating its counter-response to the song and dance-bundled-phenomenologically hyper-commercial masala fried mainstream Bollywood Hindi movies of formulaic story telling. Although at the stroke of post-independence scenario of myriad changes, the Holy Trinity of Ray-Ghatak-Sen had already sowed the seminal seeds in country’s cinema-land by then around a decade and half ago. And ShyamBenegal, thus, could take the ‘independent’ impetus from there to germinate those seeds more into the further lands of a complete different socio-geographical realities. From the very essence of his first film, ‘Ankur’, Benegal showed his exceptional vision as a socially-committed artist by addressing some of the most thought provocative issues submerging with the lenses through the cinematograph.

Born on 14 December, 1934, at Trimulgherry, Secunderabad, having had legendary Guru Dutt as a second cousin, Shyam Sunder Benegal showed his fascinating interest in celluloid since his later childhood. Albeit, he could never grant this genuine interest to that certain high level from where he can think that filmmaking can be the potential option to live. And right then a remarkable event happened in his life! In today’s world of gigantic ‘virtual space’ where people and their lives are obnoxiously determined by their social media posts and created digital-dystopia’ by Zuckerberg, and Musk and where also the actual co-ordinate geometry of true cinema aca art can hardly be located at the pulse of utter bewilderment, this simple true story of Shyam Benegal’s life could give the glimpses of sheer light to the all budding artists out there. This real story is from the time when Shyam was in his university days and visited Kolkata to participate in an inter-state swimming competition. And during then, upon over a strong suggestion coming from his uncle, who used to live there, he went on to see a film, made by a debutant director of that time, on a big screen at the theatre hall. Watching that film gave “Bombardment” in his head! And he rushed to buy the next ticket immediately of the next show and next also. Thus he watched the film 3 times in a single day and eventually 8 times during his that tenure of Kolkata’ staying, as he never saw something of this level of artistic height before. The name of the film was ‘Pather Pachali’ by Satyajit Ray!

ShyamBenegal always believed in the true spirit of life and therefore the envisioning spirit of making art till the very end. In his last given public interview thus he said alike “I never stop, until of course nature stops me”. Even one could get to see the joyous expression of grace at his face just a week before of his passing during the celebration of his 90th birthday, surrounded by some great actors who acted in his film throughout the long span of different times included Nasiruddin Shah and Shabana Azmi. Writing obituary is not easy. But Shyam's own-self made it easier to look it through life, synthesising at art and vice versa.

ShyamBenegal’s legacy as a filmmaker is often regarded as a pivotal cornerstone in Indian ‘Hindi’ Cinema to represent the world cinema in a true sense. Some common threads and paradigms of thematic exploration of Benegal’s works can well be traced vividly. Some significant among these are being illustrated here very briefly.

Socio-Political underpinnings along with Celluloid Realism
Celluloid realism marked a new reigning beginning in the works where Benegal could successfully created the ecosystem, which was sought to extricate Indian cinema from the straitjacket of melodramatic escapism. His unflinching depiction as a realist storyteller in portraying of systemic inequities and other socio-political nuances—epitomised his significant style. His debut film one of most important seminal work, ‘Ankur’, regarded as one of the landmark films in Indian Cinema, delves into the fetid underbelly of feudalism, caste orientation, patriarchal oppression, power hierarchy and social injustice- inequality presenting a tableau of grim realities of the real life.

Cinematic Gazing on Margins
Benegal’s cinema possesses an unsparing gaze, which has often been trained on society’s most marginalised sects. Whether, in Ankur’s portrayal of Dalit woman’s quiet defiance against feudal exploitation, or in Nishant (1975), the intersection of power, gender, and class unfolding in a rural setting, along with the collective uprising of the oppressed challenges entrenched patriarchy and feudal authority, or in ‘Manthan’ (1976) where the cooperative movement becomes a symbol of empowerment, portraying the collective spirit of farmers as they reclaim their dignity and agency against exploitative systems.

It is worth mentioning here that ‘Manthan’ was distributed by Gujarat Co-operative Milk federation limited where 500,000 farmers were directly involved to fund as 2 rupees each to make this film as first crowd-founded film in a distinct manner of marginal involvement. This never happened in the history of cinema in the entire world alike.

Furthermore one can see the plight of a sharecropper embodies the systemic exploitation of India’s agrarian underclass in rural Birbhum district of West Bengal in “Arohan” (1982), with Benegal’s lens capturing the quiet dignity of the oppressed even amidst despair.

In Antarnaad(1991) people can see how Benegal’s exploration of the Swadhyay movement showcases the spiritual awakening of marginalised communities, blending collective redemption with cultural introspection.

Gender Dynamics and Feminism in Frame
The work of Shyam Benegal represents a nuanced and empathetic exploration of women’s lives in different strata, challenging patriarchal norms and highlighting their struggles, agency, and resilience. Where in Ankur one sees Laxmi, a Dalit woman, embodies silent strength, resisting the oppressive forces of caste, class, and patriarchy, on the other hand in Bhumika people can examine Usha’s journey through marriage, love, and professional life on the verge of woman’s quest for autonomy in a male-dominated society, reflecting her existential struggle for identity.

In Mandi (1983), people witness Benegal critiques societal hypocrisy on surrounding sex workers, and powerful nuanced portrayal of the women inside brothel as survivors with dignity and agency, resisting moralistic judgement.

Thus in a different context of circumlocution in Sardari Begum (1996), Benegal explores the challenges faced by women in the performing arts, addressing the intersections of tradition, modernity, and gender prejudice.

Cinema as Cultural Praxis with Paradigmatic Aesthetics
New wave cinema, and particularly Benegal’s oeuvre, can be understood through the Marxist concept of praxis with a cultural backdrop of wreathed aesthetics where theory and action coalesce to produce meaningful change or self-provocative thoughts or realisation. Films like ‘Ankur’, ‘Nishant’, ‘Manthan’, ‘Arohan’, ‘Mandi’, ‘Susman’, ‘Surajka Satvan Ghora’ are not only the great cinematic story-telling narratives; they are also the acts of resistance, confronting the viewer with the stark realities of caste, patriarchy, feudalism, capitalism and consumerism while simultaneously imagining the possibility of emancipation.

Interior Vignette of Minorities-Benegal’s ‘Muslim Trilogy’
ShyamBenegal’sMuslim Trilogy–Mammo (1994), Sardari Begum (1996), and Zubeidaa (2001) portrays the nuanced realities of Muslim lives, emphasising identity, cultural heritage, and the intersection of personal and political struggles in India. In ‘Mammo’, the story of an aging woman displaced by Partition reflects the alienation and identity crisis faced by minorities in post-Independence India. In ‘Sardari Begum’, Benegal explores the challenges of a female Qawwali singer, addressing the constraints of tradition, gender, and societal prejudice within a minority community. In Zubeidaa, the titular character’s struggle for freedom symbolises the broader tensions between individual aspirations and conservative familial expectations in a minority setting.

Bringing forth the pool of some of the best talents into the silver screen
ShyamBenegal is celebrated and intensely known for either introducing or bringing forth prominently some of the finest and greatest talents to Indian cinema, actors who went on to redefine the craft of Hindi cinema on the silver screen. Some of the most significant names are Nasiruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil, Om Puri, Anant Nag, Khulbhusan Kharbanda, Mohan Agase and Neena Gupta. His casting choices were deeply rooted in the actors’ ability to embody complex characters, bridging the gap between realism and artistic brilliance. Benegal’s mentorship nurtured a generation of performers who brought gravitas to Indian cinema, setting new benchmarks for acting in decades to come.

Insightful Psychological depth and Visual Tapestry
Benegal’s cinema is deeply humanistic, offering intricate portraits of Human relationships shaped by the deep essence of cultural, social, and psychological inter-forces. ‘SurajKaSatvaGhora’ (1993) is a fragmented narrative that explores love, desire, and societal constraints and complication depicted in psychologically stimulant counter cross narrative style storytelling like Akira Kurosawa’s famous ‘Roshomon’. Here, Benegal examines the subjectivity of human experiences and the elusive nature of truth.

‘Trikal’ (1985) set in Goa during the post-colonial transition, is an atmospheric exploration of memory, nostalgia, and identity in a critically thought-provocating manner. The film’s interpretative nonlinear structure with the entire epitomic details of Portuguese Christianity and myths as background reflects the fluidity of time and the complexity of human emotions.

ShyamBenegal, an incredibly brilliant raconteur, pioneering Cinema Artist’s exceptionally colossal contribution to the Indian cinema, art and culture will be remembered globally in perpetuity.

References and Acknowledgements:
Rajadhyaksha, A., &Willemen, P. (1999). Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema.
Chatterjee, S. (2005). ShyamBenegal: The Director’s Voice.
Mazumdar, R. (2017). The Bombay Film: Toward a New Aesthetic.
Nair, S. (2013). “Narratives of Resistance: ShyamBenegal’s Cinema of Marginalized Communities.” Journal of South Asian Film Studies, 5(2), 45-59.
Bhowmik, S. (2009). “Politics of the Real: The Parallel Cinema Movement in India.” Asian Cinema, 20(1), 23-40.
Prof.SanjoyMukhopadhyay, Retired Professor, Dept. of Film Studies, Jadavpur University, Kolkata.
Ms Claudia Rosseli, Independent Artist and Cinephile, Florence, Italy.

[Arijit Ray, Scholar and Faculty, Santiniketan / Bodhgaya] 

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Vol 57, No. 34, Feb 16 - 22, 2025