Dev Benegal | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 28 December 1960 New Delhi, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation(s) | Film director, Screenwriter, Photographer |
| Years active | 1980–present |
| Known for | English, August (1994) |
Dev Benegal is an Indian filmmaker and screenwriter, most known for his debut film English, August (1994), which won the Best Feature Film in English at the 42nd National Film Awards.
Dev was born in New Delhi to Som Benegal, a theatre director, and his wife Suman.
Dev Benegal grew up in New Delhi. In 1979, he left Delhi for Mumbai (then Bombay), to pursue a career in movies. [1] He won an Asian Cultural Council grant in Film, Video & Photography to study Film History in the Cinema Studies Program at New York University from 1989–90. [2]
He began his career with legendary animator Ram Mohan and got his first job with Shashi Kapoor's Filmvalas. [3] After assisting Shyam Benegal in films like Kalyug (1980), Mandi (1983) and his famous documentary on Satyajit Ray—Satyajit Ray, Filmmaker (1984)—Dev Benegal directed a series of short short films, Kalpavriksha: The Tree of Life (1988), Kanakambaram: Cloth: of Gold (1987), and Anantarupam: The Infinite Forms (1987). He directed several documentaries, including Shabana! (2003) with Indian film star Shabana Azmi and Abhivardhan: Building for a New Life (1992).
In 1994 he wrote and directed his adaptation of Upamanyu Chatterjee's 1989 novel by the same name, based on the Indian Administrative Service, English, August (1994). The film received praise from critics for its modern and urban themes and was hailed as the cinematic counterpart to the later Anglo-Indian literary movement. It also won the Best Feature Film in English Award at National Film Awards, [4] and is now hailed as a landmark in contemporary Indian cinema as it ushered in a wave of independent Indian filmmakers, commonly known as "multiplex films" in India. [1] [5]
The New York Times wrote: [6] In "English, August", his first feature film, Mr. Benegal deftly manages the feat of using the scalpel of humor to lay bare a young man's painful but edifying immersion in an alien culture within his own land and to deliver potent sociological and political messages. Irreverent humor, frustrated idealism and earnest compassion are blended with a keen sense of character, place and political reality in the auspicious English, August.
"English, August" won the Special Jury Award at the 12th Torino Film Festival 1994. [7] It won both the Silver Montgolfiere (Silver Grand Prix) and the Gilberto Martinez Solares prize for the Best First Film at the 16th Festival des 3 Continents, Nantes France, 1994 [8]
Split Wide Open (1999), another Hinglish film, was also a critical success and won a Special Jury Prize at the 2000 Singapore International Film Festival. Writing for The Hindu, Savitha Padmanabhan said: "Split Wide Open is a bold and strong statement on the filth and lawlessness that have wormed their way into the city of dreams, Mumbai". [9] In an article for The Times of India, the film's lead actor Rahul Bose wrote: "Critics flayed me: After Split Wide Open was released, critics ripped apart my character. To be an English-speaking slum-dweller who is also a smuggler, I spent a month in slums and even shadowed a cocaine-dealer for two weeks. Ironically, the criticism at home turned into praise when I won the Best Actor award for Split Wide Open at the Singapore Film Festival." [10]
Benegal's latest film, Road, Movie (2009), about a travelling cinema troupe in Rajasthan, and starring Abhay Deol and Tannishtha Chatterjee as the lead, premiered at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival. [4] [5] [11] In its review, The Hollywood Reporter wrote: "Dev Benegal's 'Road, Movie' takes you on a magical mystery tour into the heart of India and its robust cinema. It is, in fact, a road movie without the comma, but it is also about being on the road in a vast Indian landscape and about the phenomenon of touring cinemas that still exist in rural India. The film is specifically Indian, yet designed for wider appreciation in festivals and, if all goes well at the European Film Market, in cross-over releases in international territories." [12]
His project Bombay Samourai was an official selection for the Hong Kong Asia Film Finance Forum (HAF) [13] at the HongKong International Film Festival. This film is in development. [14]
Dev Benegal is also developing a film on the life of mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan. [15]
In 2006, Benegal started a production program called 24×7 Making Movies, where he invited young people from all over India to come and make a film in 24 hours. [16] The program has produced over 60 short feature films.
Benegal is a long time advisor to eQuinoxe Screenwriting Workshops for Professionals. [17] He has been invited by Under The Volcano, the international program of writing master classes to create and conduct a screenwriting master class for their 2020 program. [18]
Pritish Nandy while describing Benegal's films, said: "Dev Benegal spearheads the brat pack of movie directors who are all out to prove that indian movies is not all pelvis thrusting and running around trees." [19]
An academic paper (Prateek, Prateek. (2013). "Popart": The 'global' avatar of bollywood. 5. 247-257) on Bollywood draws upon insights from his work and describes it as follows: "Benegal's cinematic dialogue with Indianness of English along with Englishness of India, with narratives of belonging, and with the compacted heterogeneity of urban-industrial India, established in his early cinema... Benegal understands the gravity of the national metaphor of 'unity in diversity', and tries to manifest it in the polyphony of various languages and different dialects – English, Hindi, and Telugu. Equally important are his 'artistic' story-telling skills, a trait usually found in the art cinema: the capacity to create credible characters (human or otherwise, like Dadru, the frog) and cultures, skilful scene-setting, mastery of pace and timing, and power of imagination." [20]
| Year | Title | Awards & Honors |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Road, Movie |
|
| 1999 | Split Wide Open |
|
| 1994 | English, August |
|
| Year | Title | Awards / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Tempest | |
| 2018 | The Revenge of the Non-Vegetarian | Based on a novel [26] by Upamanyu Chatterjee |
| 2018 | Further to Fly | From the story "Occupant" by Meera Nair |
| 2015 | Dark Fiber | |
| 2014 | Dead, End | Network of Asian Fantastic Films Prize [27] |
| 2012 | Stairway to Heaven | |
| 2010 | Samurai | Official selection at the Hong Kong Asia Film Finance Forum [28] |
| 2009 | Road, Movie | Official selection of Atelier du Cannes at the Cannes Film Festival [29] |
| 1999 | Split Wide Open | |
| 1994 | English, August |
| Year | Title | Awards & Honors |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Shabana! |
|
| 1997 | Merchants & Marxists: Stones of the Raj |
|
| 1993 | Field of Shadows |
|
| 1992 | Abhivardhan: Building for a New Life | |
| 1988 | Kalpavriksha: The Tree of Life |
|
| 1987 | Kanakambaram: Cloth of Gold |
|
| 1987 | Anantarupam: The Infinite Forms |
|
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Dead, End (screenplay) | Network of Asian Fantastic Films Prize [27] | Won | Hong Kong International Film Festival |
| 2011 | Road, Movie | Best Sound for Vikram Joglekar [30] | Won | 17th Annual Star Screen Awards |
| 2010 | Road, Movie | Golden Duke Award [25] | Nominated | Odesa International Film Festival |
| 2009 | Road, Movie | Tokyo Sakura Grand Prix Award [25] | Nominated | Tokyo International Film Festival |
| 2000 | Split Wide Open | Special Jury Prize [25] | Won | Singapore International Film Festival |
| 2000 | Split Wide Open | Silver Screen Award [25] | Nominated | Singapore International Film Festival |
| 2000 | Split Wide Open | The Grand Prix [23] | Won | Turnhout International Film Festival Belgium (Focus Op Het Zuiden) |
| 2000 | Split Wide Open | Grand Prix [25] | Nominated | Bratislava International Film Festival |
| 2000 | Split Wide Open | Best Actor for Rahul Bose [31] | Won | Singapore International Film Festival |
| 1995 | English, August | Best Feature Film in English | Won | National Film Awards |
| 1994 | English, August | Silver Montgolfiere (Silver Grand Prix) [24] | Won | Festival des 3 Continents |
| 1994 | English, August | Golden Montgolfiere (Golden Grand Prix) [24] | Nominated | Festival des 3 Continents |
| 1994 | English, August | Gilberto Martinez Solares (Best First Film) [24] | Won | Festival des 3 Continents |
| 1994 | English, August | Special Jury Award [25] | Won | Torino International Film Festival |
| 1994 | English, August | Prize of the City of Torino [25] | Nominated | Torino International Film Festival |
| 1988 | Kalpavriksha | Certificate of Merit [31] | Won | Indian Documentary Producers Association Awards for Excellence |
| 1987 | Anantarupam | Special Jury Award [31] | Won | Indian Documentary Producers Association Awards for Excellence |
| 1987 | Anantarupam | Best Cinematography [31] | Won | Indian Documentary Producers Association Awards for Excellence |
Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood is a portmanteau of "Bombay" and "Hollywood". The industry is a part of the larger Indian cinema, which also includes South Indian cinema and other smaller film industries.
Shashi Kapoor was an Indian actor and film producer who is best known for his works in Hindi films. A recipient of several accolades, including four National Film Awards and two Filmfare Awards, he also featured in a number of English-language international films, particularly films produced by Merchant Ivory. The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Bhushan in 2011, and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, in 2014, for his contribution to Indian cinema.
Dev Anand was an Indian actor, writer, director and producer known for his work in Hindi cinema. Anand is considered as one of the greatest and most successful actors in the history of Indian cinema. Through a career that spanned over six decades, he worked in more than 100 films. Anand is a recipient of four Filmfare Awards, including two for Best Actor. The Government of India honoured him with Padma Bhushan, Indian third highest civilian honour in 2001 and with Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2002.
Deewaar is a 1975 Indian action crime drama film written by Salim–Javed and directed by Yash Chopra. Released worldwide on 24 January 1975, the film stars an ensemble cast of Shashi Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Neetu Singh, Nirupa Roy, Parveen Babi, Iftekhar, Madan Puri, Satyen Kappu and Manmohan Krishna. The music was composed by R. D. Burman. The film tells the story of a pair of impoverished brothers who, after their family is betrayed by the misplaced idealism of their father, struggle to survive in the slums of Mumbai, and eventually find themselves on opposing sides of the law. The title Deewaar ("wall") signifies the wall that has sprung up between the two brothers, drawn apart by fate and circumstances in a time of socio-political turmoil.
Shyam Benegal is an Indian film director, screenwriter and documentary filmmaker. Often regarded as the pioneer of parallel cinema, he is widely considered as one of the greatest filmmakers post 1970s. He has received several accolades, including eighteen National Film Awards, a Filmfare Award and a Nandi Award. In 2005, he was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India's highest award in the field of cinema. In 1976, he was honoured by the Government of India with the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian honour of the country, and in 1991, he was awarded Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian honour for his contributions in the field of arts.
Aftab Shivdasani is an Indian actor, producer and model known for his works in Hindi and also working for Tamil and Kannada film industry. Shivdasani was selected as the Farex baby at the age of 14 months and eventually appeared in many TV commercials for the product. He started his career as a child artist in films like Mr. India (1987), Shahenshah (1988), ChaalBaaz (1989), Awwal Number (1990), C.I.D. (1990) and Insaniyat (1994).
Rahul Bose is an Indian actor, director, screenwriter, social activist, and athlete. Bose is the President of Indian Rugby Football Union.
Smita Patil was an Indian film and theatre actress who mainly worked in Hindi and Marathi films. Regarded among the finest and greatest actresses in the history of Indian cinema, Patil appeared in over 80 films, in a career that spanned over a decade. Patil was the recipient of two National Film Awards, a Filmfare Award, two Filmfare Awards Marathi. She received the Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian honour in 1985.
Manoj Kumar is an Indian actor, film director, screenwriter, lyricist and editor who worked in Hindi cinema. He is known for acting and making films with patriotic themes, and has been given the nickname Bharat Kumar. He is the recipient of a National Film Award and seven Filmfare Awards, in varied categories. He was awarded Padma Shri in 1992 and Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2016 by the Government of India for his contribution to Indian cinema and arts.
English, August is a 1994 Indian English-language black comedy film and director Dev Benegal's first feature film. A humorous and irreverent study of bureaucracy and the Indian Generation X, English, August won several awards at international film festivals.
Split Wide Open is a 1999 Indian film directed by Dev Benegal. It is his second feature film after English, August (1994). The film primarily deals with the Water conflicts in the slums of Bombay, and paedophilia, and also looks at the subversive sexuality in modern India and how the notions of morality are challenged when sex and poverty collide. The film came under harsh criticism when released in India and has been one of the most controversial Indian films.
Salim–Javed were an Indian screenwriting duo, composed of Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar, working in Bollywood. They are noted for being among the first Indian screenwriters to achieve star status, becoming one of the most successful Indian screenwriters of all time. They are regarded as among "Hindi cinema's greatest screenwriters". They worked together on 24 films during 1971–1987, of which twenty were commercially and critically successful films. They worked together on 22 Bollywood films, as well as two Kannada films.
Anupama Chopra (née Chandra) is an Indian author, journalist, film critic and director of the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival. She is also the founder and editor of the digital platform Film Companion, which offers a curated look at cinema. She has written several books on Indian cinema and has been a film critic for NDTV, India Today, as well as the Hindustan Times. She also hosted a weekly film review show The Front Row With Anupama Chopra, on Star World. She won the 2000 National Film Award for Best Book on Cinema for her first book Sholay: The Making of a Classic. She presently critiques movies and interviews celebrities for Film Companion.
Road, Movie is a 2009 Indian road movie directed by Dev Benegal, and starring Abhay Deol, Tannishtha Chatterjee, and Satish Kaushik. It premiered at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival and opened the section Generation 14plus at the 60th Berlin International Film Festival in February 2010. Road, Movie was released in India on 5 March 2010.
English-language Indian films go back to the days of silent film. After the coming of sound, feature films in English almost disappeared.
English Vinglish is a 2012 Indian Hindi-language comedy-drama film written and directed by Gauri Shinde. The film stars Sridevi as Shashi Godbole, a small entrepreneur who makes snacks and sweets. Shashi enrolls in an English-speaking course to stop her husband and daughter mocking her lack of English skills and gains self-respect in the process. Shashi was written by Shinde, inspired by her mother. The film marked Sridevi's return to film acting after a 15-year hiatus post Judaai (1997); it also features Adil Hussain, French actor Mehdi Nebbou, and Priya Anand. Amitabh Bachchan makes a cameo appearance in the film’s Hindi version, whereas Ajith Kumar replaced him the same portions of the flim which was reshot for the Tamil-dubbed version.
Shoojit Sircar is an Indian filmmaker, director and producer known for his work in Hindi films. He has received several awards, including three National Film Awards and two Filmfare Awards from five nominations.
Aadya Bedi is an Indian theater artist and Bollywood actress. She has appeared in several Bollywood movies, played a role in the American police procedural television drama series Law & Order: Criminal Intent and has appeared in New York International Fringe Festival shows.
War is a 2019 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film co-written and directed by Siddharth Anand and produced by Aditya Chopra under Yash Raj Films. The third installment in the YRF Spy Universe, the film stars Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff and Vaani Kapoor in lead roles. The film follows Khalid Rahmani, an Indian RAW agent and soldier, who is assigned to eliminate his former mentor Kabir Dhaliwal, who has gone rogue.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
