Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi extended condolences on the death of veteran filmmaker Shyam Benegal. Majhi called Benegal the cornerstone of Indian parallel cinema.
“Deeply saddened by the passing of the legendary filmmaker Shyam Benegal. A cornerstone of Indian parallel cinema, he was revered and admired by cinephiles worldwide. His pioneering work has left an enduring legacy, shaping the landscape of Indian cinema and inspiring generations of filmmakers and audiences alike,” wrote CM Majhi on his X account.
Former Leader of the Opposition in Odisha Assembly and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also offered his condolences on the demise of the national award-winning filmmaker.
“Deeply saddened to learn about the passing away of legendary filmmaker #ShyamBenegal. He was a doyen of Indian cinema and his departure is a great loss to the film industry. His socially relevant portrayals were ahead of his time and his towering presence behind the camera will be sorely missed by all. My thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and followers. Om Shanti,” wrote Patnaik.
Shyam Sunder S. Benegal, a multiple National Award winner and among the pioneers of ‘parallel cinema’ — with silver screen classics like ‘Junoon’, ‘Ankur’, ‘Manthan’, ‘Zubeida’ and ‘The Making of the Mahatma’ — passed away after a long battle with kidney disease, his family said here on Monday.
He is survived by his wife Nira and their daughter Pia.
