Hyderabad: “Shyam Benegal’s humility was his defining quality—despite being a celebrated filmmaker, he treated everyone as an equal,” said filmmaker Elahe Hiptoola during a moving tribute to

He won acclaim from critics and audiences even as the gritty stories he put on the big screen grappled with some of India’s thorniest problems.

Deeply saddened by the passing of Shyam Benegal, whose storytelling had a profound impact on Indian cinema,” India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.

For those born in the late 70s and 80s, and who grew into adulthood in the 90s, the evolution of Indian television and parallel cinema is a living memory. Shyam Benegal, a visionary filmmaker whose contributions to both industries are unparalleled, was at the centre of this change. With his death, an era in Indian entertainment comes to an end.

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