Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi fondly keep in mind Shyam Benegal at his memorial meet: ‘Shyam used each second of his life in a inventive pursuit…’ | Bollywood Information

“The primary picture I’ve of Shyam Benegal was in 1973 and what struck me about him essentially the most was his broad, heat smile as I went to go to him at ASP workplace the place he was the inventive director and was searching for solid for Ankur.

“The final picture I’ve of Shyam was on December 14, 2024, when he, Nira and Pia had organised a celebration for his ninetieth birthday. After spending a stupendous hour with us, he was whisked away with that very same heat broad smile,” Azmi mentioned.

The filmmaker handed away on December 23 after affected by a persistent kidney illness.

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Shabana Azmi, who collaborated with Shyam Benegal on movies like Ankur, Nishant, Junoon, Susman, and Antarnaad, shared an anecdote about Benegal’s private life.

“Not many individuals know that Shyam Benegal was a romantic man. He bought to know that Nira loves yellow flowers, so the day they bought married, he despatched her a bouquet of yellow flowers and a message written on it saying, ‘Solely 23 hours.’ Then the bouquet stored coming each hour until they bought married. Are you able to think about? If I had been Nira, I might’ve postponed the wedding, it was so beautiful,” Azmi added.

Naseeruddin Shah, who labored with Shyam Benegal on traditional films like Nishant, Manthan and Mandi, mentioned the filmmaker stayed true in his pursuit as a inventive particular person.

“Dying is the unimportant a part of life and what’s essential is what you do with the time you’ve. It’s plain that Shyam used each single second of his life, breath and iota of vitality in a inventive pursuit of some form or the opposite,” he mentioned.

On the memorial service, Atul Tiwari gifted Shyam Benegal’s spouse Nira and daughter Pia Benegal a e book he had penned on the late director, Mentor.

Kakkar mentioned he admired Benegal for a way he impressed everybody round him, from actors to writers.

“His technique was that in case you are ever going to be a filmmaker, you might not have a designation, you might by no means say, ‘This isn’t my downside’. That’s the one factor he taught us, that every part to do with movies, from serving meals to cooking to cleansing to supervising carpenters to sitting with writers, every part is your job.

Additionally Learn | Shyam Benegal was ‘dismayed by the dearth of creativeness’ in modern movies, struggled to search out funding for tasks

“I might by no means think about his nice generosity of spirit, and his capability to show, mentor and encourage. I’ve seen him inspiring actors, writers and folks round him to carry out on what they may do. That’s the best present to all of us,” he mentioned.

Shabana Azmi mentioned she thought-about Shyam Benegal her mentor and infrequently sought his strategies on the gives she obtained as an actor.

“Shyam Benegal was my guru, though a reluctant one. He didn’t wish to be referred to as anybody’s guru, however nonetheless he was my guru. He was my guru not solely as a result of he was my first director however by being round him I learnt so many classes of life.

“He was my mentor. I consulted him now and again a couple of venture that I ought to do or not. He wished neither to be my guru nor my mentor. He was my buddy, and equal and he created that area for this friendship. He gave me equal respect and skill to face,” Azmi recalled.