Shyam Benegal wins Dada Saheb Phalke award

NOT THE FORGOTTEN HERO: Benegal's last film was Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero.

Featured Blog

Rajdeep Sardesai

26/11: Terror comes precariously close

Featured Slideshows

New Delhi: Veteran filmmaker Shyam Benegal has been chosen for the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke Award for the year 2005.

The announcement comes a day after the delayed National Film Awards were announced on Wednesday evening.

Instituted in 1969, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award is an annual award given by the Indian government for lifetime contribution to Indian cinema.

Benegal is considered one of the pioneers of the new wave in Indian cinema during the 1970's and 80's.

Benegal's memorable films include Ankur, Manthan, Suraj Ka Satwaan Ghoda, Bhumika, Kondura, Junoon, Kalyug, Mandi, Trikal, Mammo, Sardari Begum and the Making of the Mahatama.

Benegal's last film was the 2005 release Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero.

His work on television consists of several popular serials based on international stories, short stories by well-known Indian writers and a mammoth 53-part series on the history of India based on Jawaharlal Nehru's book Discovery of India.

He has also made an extramural educational series for rural children sponsored by UNICEF.

Shyam Benegal taught mass-communication techniques between 1966 and 1973 and later took an active role in shaping film education as Chairman of the Film Television Institute of India during 1980-83 and 1989-92.

He was part of the National Integration Council (1986-89) and the National Council of Art.

To his credit are 24 fictional features for the cinema, several documentaries and TV serials.