Amrita Rao fondly remembers her time working with the legendary Shyam Benegalpraising his discipline, punctuality, and unique approach to filmmaking. In an emotional conversation with ETimes, she reflected on the impact he had on her career and the unforgettable experiences of working with him.
She said, “Shyam Benegal has always been the pride of our Saraswat Konkani community, and so, when he offered me the opportunity to be his heroine in Welcome to SajjanpurI was overwhelmed. He was very disciplined on set and always punctual. The icing on the cake was that he would want the entire core team to dine together daily after pack-up, where no work was discussed. He was a complete foodie and would discuss a variety of regional delicacies at the dinner table.”
Amrita further added, “People often ask me if Shyam Babu was a very different director to work with compared to other directors. I say I really didn’t feel the difference in working with a director from the 1970s compared to being on set with millennium directors because Shyam Benegal was truly way ahead of his time in every sensibility. Certainly, one of my favourite directors to work with, he gave me one of my most memorable performances.”
A pioneer of parallel cinema, Benegal’s work in both mainstream and art films earned him widespread acclaim for its realism, depth, and storytelling excellence. His passing marks the end of an era in Indian filmmaking.
Benegal was recognized by the Government of India with the Padma Shri in 1976 and the Padma Bhushan in 1991 for his contributions to Indian cinema. His notable films include Churning, Zubeidaand Sardaari Begumwhich showcase his expertise in filmmaking and storytelling.