The year Shyam Benegal and Smita-Shabana duo shone at Cannes
In 1976, a new wave of Indian cinema was taking shape, under the visionary director Shyam Benegal. At just 42, he had already started revolutionizing the film industry with his debut feature Ankur. This year, he achieved a major milestone in his career as he took India to the prestigious Cannes Film Festival with his film Nishant. As we mourn the loss of Benegal, we reflect on the time he left a lasting mark on the global cinema stage.
'We were our own walking ads': Azmi on Cannes experience
When Benegal and his leading ladies Smita Patil and Shabana Azmi reached Cannes, they were not really known in the international film circuit. But they soon caught attention when Patil and Azmi draped themselves in traditional South Indian sarees and walked down the beach promenade. Speaking to author Maithili Rao, Azmi remembered this unique promotional tactic: "In a place where we had no money...Shyam came up with this unique idea." "We were our own walking ads."
Benegal's advertising acumen and solution to a wardrobe problem
Interestingly, Patil didn't have the silk sarees Benegal suggested for their promotional walk. Undeterred, the director proposed a solution: She could borrow them from Uma Da Cunha, a renowned critic, film programmer, and publicist. This incident highlighted Benegal's exceptional problem-solving skills and advertising acumen, honed during his years as an ad copywriter before venturing into filmmaking with Ankur in 1973.
Benegal's contribution to the New Cinema movement
Following his debut with Ankur, Benegal went on to direct three more films: Nishant (1975), Manthan (1976), and Bhumika (1977). These works heralded the arrival of a new era in Indian cinema, popularly known as the New Cinema movement. It was during this time that he launched several actors who would become stalwarts of Indian cinema, including Azmi, Patil, Naseeruddin Shah, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, and Om Puri among others.
Benegal's unique working conditions and ensemble approach
Benegal's films were also known for their unique working conditions, sans luxuries like vanity vans or five-star hotels. Everyone involved in a Benegal film would contribute in various ways, from carrying lights to serving food. His films were ensemble pieces where actors played roles of varying lengths without any hierarchy. Many actors even worked for free, driven by their belief in the film and respect for Benegal as a director.
