Filmfare Awards: Legendary filmmaker Shyam Benegal bestowed with Lifetime Achievement posthumously

NEW DELHI: Late filmmaker Shyam Benegal has been honoured posthumously with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 70th Filmfare Awards on Saturday.

The award was presented by filmmaker Karan Johar, celebrating Benegal’s cinematic legacy and his visionary storytelling skills. Shyam Benegal’s daughter, Pia Benegal, was present at the event, accepting the award on her late father’s behalf.

“He is missed terribly by me, my family, and all those who were close to him, as he touched many, many people, both professionally and personally. He was a truly magical person, and I accept this with great happiness and pride,” his daughter said, as per Filmfare’s official social media handle.

The ‘Manthan’ director passed away on December 23, 2024, at the age of 90 in Mumbai’s Wockhardt Hospital.

Born on December 14, 1934, in a Konkani-speaking Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin family in Hyderabad, Shyam Benegal had extensively collaborated with actors from FTII and NSD, including the likes of veteran stars like Naseeruddin Shah, Smita Patil, and Om Puri. Shabana Azmi, Kulbhushan Kharbanda Amrish Puri, among others.

His films left an impact on the audience’s minds, frequently addressing sociopolitical themes with remarkable depth.

Throughout his celebrated career that spanned nearly five decades, Benegal received multiple accolades, including the prestigious Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Dadasaheb Phalke Award – India’s highest honour in cinema.

He was cremated with full state honours and a gun salute. The last rites of the filmmaker were held at the Shivaji Park Cemetery. His funeral was also attended by multiple celebrities, such as Boman Irani, Ratna Pathak, Naseeruddin Shah, Gulzar, Javed Akhtar, Hansal Mehta, and others.

The 70th edition of the Filmfare Awards was held in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on Saturday, October 11. Shah Rukh Khan returned to host the Filmfare Awards after a long gap, alongside Karan Johar, Akshay Kumar, and Maniesh Paul. (ANI)