Shyam Benegal is one of India's major film directors. A career spanning more than forty years includes documentaries and television programs as well as over twenty feature films. Benegal's influences range from Satyajit Ray to Guru Dutt and Bollywood cinema more generally. He has worked with - indeed launched the careers of - many of the Bombay film industry's major stars, such as Shabana Azmi, Om Puri, Smita Patil, Naseeruddin Shah and Amrish Puri. Despite this, throughout his career, Benegal's engagement with 'Bollywood Babylon' has been highly individualistic. From his first feature film, Ankur, to recent work like Zubeidaa, Benegal has always combined social analysis with aesthetic pleasure. Making films in Hindi has enabled Benegal to reach the largest possible Indian audience. These lively and engaging interviews cover Benegal's life and work and, in doing so, present a history of Indian cinema.

Also available in hardback, 9781845204044 GBP50.00 (March, 2006)

About the Author
William van der Heide is a private researcher specialising in Asian cinemas and Honorary Associate at the University of Newcastle, Australia and author of Malaysian Cinema, Asian Film: Border Crossings and National Cultures


Book Information
ISBN 9781845204051
Author William van der Heide
Format Paperback
Page Count 224
Imprint Berg Publishers
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Dimensions(mm) 234mm * 156mm * 12mm