Photo: Satyen K. Bordoloi / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Shyam Benegal was a film director, screenwriter and film producer, born on December 14, 1934 in Trimulgherry, Hyderabad district, India. Death is recorded on December 23, 2024, at the age of 90. Shyam Benegal was educated at Mahbub College High School and North-Eastern Hill University. Listed accolades include Padma Bhushan (1991), Padma Shri in arts (1976), Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2005) and 3 more. Credited works include Shyam Benegal filmography.
My Take
Shyam Benegal is the kind of filmmaker I admire most: one who chose substance over spectacle. While Indian cinema chased song and dance, he helped pioneer parallel cinema, turning his camera on social reality with a quiet, unflinching gaze. Eighteen National Film Awards and the Dadasaheb Phalke honour are not accidents; they are the reward for decades of asking hard questions on screen. He worked until late in life and passed in 2024 at ninety. What stays with me is his refusal to chase fashion. He simply kept filming the truths he cared about, and that integrity is its own legacy.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Shyam Benegal
- Name (Japanese)
- シャーム・ベネガル
- Reading
- しゃーむ・べねがる
- Born
- December 14, 1934 – December 23, 2024
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Sagittarius / Dog
- Origin
- Trimulgherry, Hyderabad district, India
- Occupation
- film director / screenwriter / film producer / politician / director
2. Background
- High school
- Mahbub College High School
- University
- North-Eastern Hill University
Awards & achievements
- 1991 Padma Bhushan
- 1976 Padma Shri in arts
- 2005 Dadasaheb Phalke Award
- 1980 Filmfare Award for Best Director
- honorary doctor of the University of Calcutta
- IIFA Lifetime Achievement Award
3. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Shyam Benegal filmography | — |
4. Links
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shyam%20Benegal
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q55406
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Shyam Benegal born?
Born December 14, 1934.
When did Shyam Benegal die?
Died December 23, 2024, aged 90.
Where was Shyam Benegal from?
Shyam Benegal was from Trimulgherry, Hyderabad district, India.
What did Shyam Benegal do?
Shyam Benegal worked as film director, screenwriter, film producer, politician, director.
What was Shyam Benegal known for?
Notable works include Shyam Benegal filmography.
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