Shyam Benegal

Another film-maker with a formal education in economics, Benegal started off as a copy writer in an advertising firm. After a decade long career, he moved into FTII, Pune before finally making a plunge into film-making, his first passion. Ankur (1973) brought instant fame and finance, Benegal began to roll. Driving the “New Wave” cinema Benegal made some outstanding movies on the real social issues of India. In his own words, Benegal notes, “I have always felt that the Indian countryside was never really represented properly on the Indian screen … But if you really wanted to understand the Indian Psyche, you needed to look at rural India.” Well researched and packaged with local details – customs and culture – Benegal has covered a wide spectrum of subjects.