Shyam Benegal - Filmmaker and Philosopher

For over forty years, Shyam Benegal has been one the leading forces in Indian cinema. Informed by a rich political and philosophical sensibility and a mastery of the art and craft of filmmaking, Benegal is both of, and not of, Bollywood. As a philosophical filmmaker Benegal brings to life the existential crisis of the downtrodden Indian, the `subaltern- if you will-the serf, the peasant, the woman-and imposes a distinctive philosophical vision on his cinematic reworkings of literary products. To understand Benegal-s cinema is to understand, through his lens, modern India-s continued process of political and social becoming. Focusing on the philosophical depth of Benegal's oueuvre, Samir Chopra identifies three key aspects of his work:- A trio of films which signalled to middle-class India that a revolt was brewing in India-s hinterlands- Two sets of movies which make powerful feminist statements and bring viewers into the lives of Indian women by showcasing strong, interesting female c