Shyam Benegal Death: A Week Before His Passing, Shabana Azmi Shared The Filmmaker's Last Photo

Renowned filmmaker Shyam Benegal passed away on Monday at 90. His last public appearance was at his 90th birthday celebration on December 14.

New Delhi: The 90-year-old veteran director Shyam Benegal, known for his significant contributions to Indian cinema, has passed away. On Monday night, his daughter, Pia Benegal, confirmed the news of his death to ABP News.

Shyam Benegal’s Last Public Appearance

Recently, on December 14, Benegal celebrated his 90th birthday. Bollywood actress Shabana Azmi, who made her debut with the director in the 1974 film ‘Ankur’, posted photos from the birthday party along with a touching note from the occasion on social media. 

Sharing a picture with Benegal and Naseeruddin Shah, she wrote, "On #Shyam Benegal’s 90th birthday with my co-actor from many films and my favourite actor @Naseeruddin Shah. Why aren’t more people casting us together?!!"

She also shared a group photo featuring notable figures such as Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Naseeruddin Shah, Divya Dutta, Shabana Azmi, Rajit Kapur, Atul Tiwari, filmmaker-actor Kunal Kapoor, and others.

On his 90th birthday, Benegal told PTI, “We all grow old. I don’t do anything special on my birthday. It may be a significant day, but I don’t celebrate it in any big way. I just cut a cake at the office with my team.”

Shyam Benegal’s Ongoing Projects

Benegal also told the news agency that he was working on two or three other projects. He shared, “I’m working on two to three projects; they are all different from one another. It’s difficult to say which one I will make. They are all for the big screen.” 

The biographical drama 'Mujib: The Making of a Nation', released in 2023, was Benegal's last directorial feature.