Looking Back At Essential Shyam Benegal Films, From Ankur To Zubeidaa

Veteran filmmaker Shyam Benegal, who heralded the Indian parallel cinema movement in the 1970s and 1980s with films such as Ankur, Nishant and Manthan, died at a Mumbai hospital on Monday, barely a week after celebrating his 90th birthday.

Benegal, who received the Padma Bhushan and Dadasaheb Phalke Awards, along with 18 National Film Awards, died of chronic kidney disease. The legendary director leaves behind a legacy of rich and complex cinema.

We are looking back at essential Benegal films that best capture his style, concerns and philosophy.

Remembering Shyam Benegal through his films

Ankur (1974)

Benegal's debut film, Ankur expertly captures the stifling atmosphere of rural India, where issues of caste, class, and patriarchy collide. Benegal’s understated approach to storytelling allows the powerful performances of Shabana Azmi, Anant Nag, and Sadhu Meher to stand out. After an unexpected delay in his arranged marriage, Surya (Anant Nag), the privileged son of a wealthy landlord, assumes control of his father’s estate. Amidst his newfound responsibilities, he embarks on a clandestine affair with Lakshmi (Shabana Azmi), a marginalised Dalit woman employed on the estate. Lakshmi, married to a deaf-mute potter, finds herself drawn into the complexities of this illicit relationship.

Manthan (1976)

A film inspired by the cooperative movement in rural India, focusing on dairy farmers’ empowerment. Funded by contributions from thousands of farmers, it became a landmark film in participatory cinema. The film showcases the resilience of marginalised communities through collective action with a touch of personal struggles. 

Bhumika (1977)

Bhumika is not just a story of one particular woman, it is a tale of the invisible chains that shackle a woman's dreams, actions and experiences in day-to-day life. The film offers a compelling reflection on gender, individual autonomy, and the harsh truths of a woman's existence in a patriarchal society, especially in the post-independence scene of the country. It was adapted from the autobiographical novel Uttaran. 

Kondura (The Sage From The Sea) (1978)

A bilingual film inspired by the novel by acclaimed Marathi writer Chintamani T. Khanolkar. Similar to the lines of Satyajit Ray's Devi, it portrayed the social conditions of the society. Parshuram, a young Brahmin, meets a mythical sage named Kondura, who grants him a boon and a mystical herb, but with the strict condition of celibacy. After receiving the blessing, Parshuram returns to his village, where he takes on the role of a spiritual guide. He claims that he is channelling divine will through his wife, using her as a medium for his teachings. The young Brahmin, upon hearing a revelation, struggles a lot with its meaning, and you can see how all his patriarchal/class/caste misconceptions direct his thoughts.

Kalyug (1981)

Seeing the Mahabharata from a newer perspective could land someone in the conservative 80s in big, big trouble, but not when you balance mythological storytelling and realist cinema perfectly. The themes of the epic Mahabharata of sibling rivalry, power struggles, and the erosion of dharma (righteousness) are seen through the lenses of Kalyug, as the name suggests.

Zubeidaa (2001) 

But Abu, I want to dance!

Another brilliant take on the patriarchal society, this film featured the cast of Karisma Kapoor, Rekha and Manoj Bajapayee, this film captures love, ambition, and the constraints of a woman's life. Zubeidaa's life is characterized by a sense of inner conflict as she struggles to reconcile her personal desires with the harsh realities of the world around her.