And his Manthan lives on...

Legendary filmmaker Shyam Benegal passes away in Mumbai at the age of 90 after prolonged illness

- Kinjal.Shah

In May this year, when legendary filmmaker Shyam Benegal had spoken exclusively to Ahmedabad Mirror following the screening of the restored version of his iconic 1976 film Manthan at the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival, the then 89-year-old had said Manthan was 'more than a white revolution in Gujarat as it also depicts social churning which is on even today'.

The man, who revolutionised Indian cinema with this unique perspective of the society and the intrinsic manner in which he portrayed the same in movies that remain pertinent through time, breathed his last on Monday, 6.30 pm in Mumbai, as confirmed by daughter Pia Benegal. The legend, who turned 90 last week, had been battling a prolonged illness.

Excerpts from an enriching interview...

Speaking to Mirror, Benegal, recalling the shooting of the film Manthan had shared that back in 1976, when the cast and crew of the movie was shooting in Sanganva village of Gujarat on a 45-day schedule, he had barred his cast - comprising the legendary Smita Patil, Naseeruddin Shah, Girish Karnad and Amrish Puri - from changing their clothes, or even getting them washed. "The instructions extended to my remaining cast too, the likes of Mohan Agashe, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Anant Nag and Abha Dhulia and others. Resultantly, the film saw the entire cast shoot through the schedule in worn out, dirty clothes, in the blistering heat of Gujarat, along with 'real' farmers," he had shared.

The restored version of Manthan was screened at the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival under the Cannes Classics segment; it also managed to capture audience attention again when it was screened in 100 cinemas across 50 cities in June, and saw almost houseful shows.