Trigger warning: This article contains mention of death.
Shyam Benegal’s demise at the age of 90 has left his fans heartbroken and is a big loss to the film industry. Also known as the pioneer of parallel cinema, the filmmaker made several notable films in his career such as Manthan, Zubaida and Ankur. But, in an old interview, he shared a surprising perspective on how he wanted people to remember him. He mentioned that he never thought about it and did not pay much attention to the impact of his work.
In a throwback conversation with Samdish on Unfiltered, Shyam Benegal was asked how he would like people to remember him in the years to come. In his response, the renowned director gave a more grounded response and said, “I didn’t think of myself in those terms at all,” which reflects his unique outlook on life and legacy.
When Benegal was asked about his views on legacy and whether he cares about leaving a legacy, he explained that he has never thought about these aspects and believes that thinking about it is pointless. His unusual reaction surprised the host.
He said that making films that others would like was an existential crisis for him. As he grew up, these verses and ideas began to seem unimportant to him. He also believed that life is not about creating big moments for yourself by thinking about legacy. Instead, he preferred to focus on working, moving forward, and didn’t think much about its impact.
As a result, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award winner was asked why he spent his time and effort making notable films when he did not care about legacy; He simply said, “The more a man lives, the less he knows.” He said this approach makes him curious and open to changing aspects of life.
Shyam Benegal breathed his last on December 23, 2024 at Wockhardt Hospital in Mumbai and was suffering from kidney related ailments.
Also read: Pictures from Shyam Benegal’s 90th birthday party with Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah, Kulbhushan Kharbanda and Divya Dutta broke the internet after the filmmaker’s demise.
