I see the flaws in my films too easily: Benegal

CINEMASCOPE: Benegal says a filmmaker must invite viewers, not scare them away.

          

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Keywords: Films , Cinema

Shyam Benegal: Cousins and folks who would come and with different political viewpoints, which was also very important because I had my oldest brother sitting in Calcutta, who was being vastly influenced by Left politics. Then, I had a brother in my own home, my older brother, with RSS leanings. So our dinner-table was one of great scintillating and often fairly acrimonious arguments. You never felt that you were living in a little pond – the outside world was always a part of where you were. Although we lived in a very small place, in a little cantonment town, but the world was never far.

Right from the start women have played a central role in Benegal’s movies but the highlight would be Bhoomika based on Marathi film actor Hansa Wadekar’s life.

In 1983, with a fantastic ensemble cast of Mandi, Benegal turned spotlight on one of the society's most exploited roles for women, prostitution. Passionate and funny, Mandi is one of Shyam Benegal’s sharpest films.

Anuradha SenGupta: What made you treat women like normal human beings?

Shyam Benegal: Because they are normal human beings.

Anuradha SenGupta: But it was so easy for you to have grown up believing something else.

Shyam Benegal: Yes maybe. But it’s also because of my own background. I had six sisters, three brothers...

Anuradha SenGupta: And I believe that your father actually discriminated against the boys even in investing in education.

Shyam Benegal: Yes that did matter. Independence for women is a very important thing for me. Society will always see women as victims. And the moment you see a woman as a victim, you already weakened her.

Anuradha SenGupta: Talking about women, two wonderful actors that you introduced us to, Shabana Azmi and Smita Patil. How are they such brilliant and wonderful actors?

Shyam Benegal: Many things. Firstly because the kind of people they are. Also their background and the kind of experiences they brought to people...

Anuradha SenGupta: Similar to yours in that sense?