Savoury solution
Sir — Regular popcorn or caramelised popcorn? — people going to movie theatres have often fought with friends over this question. One cannot blame lovers of savoury snacks who have been embittered by trending ungodly culinary combinations like chocolate phuchka. However, fortunately, there is no longer the need to bicker with friends over popcorn. The finance ministry has imposed a hefty 18% GST on caramelised popcorn, making the choice easier for popcorn-eaters. With the exorbitant prices multiplexes charge for all snacks, people can now give the fight a rest and opt for the comparatively cheaper option.
Srirup Laha, Calcutta
Great loss
Sir — The demise of the veteran film-maker, Shyam Benegal, marks the end of an era in Indian film-making (“Ankur and giant tree of New Wave cinema no more”, Dec 24). His work in both mainstream and art films earned him widespread acclaim for layered and realistic storytelling. However, among his many achievements, one of his most celebrated works is a television series that chronicled India’s history. The 53-episode-long historical drama, Bharat Ek Khoj, was based on the 1946 book, The Discovery of India, written by Jawaharlal Nehru. It was an ambitious project that familiarised the audience with India’s 5,000-year history, myths and cultures through an engaging narrative.
The recipient of many awards, Benegal was renowned for his insightful social commentary, which set his work apart from mainstream cinema. Benegal pioneered the parallel cinema movement in India along with other stalwarts such as Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak. His noted films include Ankur, Nishant, Junoon, Kalyug and Mandi. His later works dealt with biopics like Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero and satires like Well Done Abba. In 2014, Rajya Sabha TV telecast Samvidhaan, a 10-part series directed by Benegal on the making of the Constitution of India.
Abhijit Roy, Jamshedpur
Sir — Shyam Benegal, the Hyderabadi film-maker, received many prestigious awards, including the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, 18 National Film Awards and the Padma Bhushan. His demise is a great loss for the Indian film industry. Benegal has inspired generations of film-makers to treat cinema as a mirror to society. He was a visionary artist and his contributions will remain a source of learning for film-makers.
Kirti Wadhawan, Kanpur
Sir — Shyam Benegal’s humane storytelling highlighted the struggles of people suffering due to rigid social structures of caste, gender discrimination and economic disparity. Through documentaries and films, he also paid tribute to three Bengali luminaries, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Satyajit Ray. Benegal’s TV adaptation of The Discovery of India and the short film on the Indian Constitution bear testimony to his responsibility towards his country as an artist.
With the rise of the current brand of populist, divisive films, the loss of Benegal and his compassionate vision of social injustice is a heavy blow to Indian cinema.
Kajal Chatterjee, Calcutta
Sir — A fine craftsman with the proverbial Midas touch: Shyam Benegal had the ability to acutely capture minute details of society and transform them into cinematic projects. Benegal had a flair for not only feature films but short documentaries, TV serials and dramas as well.
He was also quick to recognise the talent for acting within several budding actors like Om Puri, Shabana Azmi and Naseeruddin Shah. Benegal was a film-maker who derived his inspiration from common people and made films for them. This is the reason why his films are now referred to as classics.
M. Pradyu, Kannur
Sir — Shyam Benegal passed away at the age of 90. Benegal’s film-making techniques balanced the qualities of both commercial and art films and his films were categorised as parallel films. However, Benegal himself was opposed to this classification and preferred that his films be called New Cinema. Directors like Govind Nihalani, Prakash Jha and Ketan Mehta were influenced by Benegal’s cinematography.
Pratima Manimala, Howrah
Sir — Shyam Benegal is considered almost to be on the same pedestal as Satyajit Ray. Benegal was a humble artist who remained dedicated to his art despite earning several accolades and tremendous fame. His series, Bharat Ek Khoj, became famous due to his compelling and impactful storytelling. He was awarded both the Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan awards. While his works were much ahead of their time, he continued to experiment and was not afraid to tell unique stories.
Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee, Faridabad
Sir — Unlike arthouse film-makers like Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak, Shyam Benegal found a pan-Indian audience and international distributors. His work was marked by provocative storytelling and a profound commitment to social issues.
S.S. Paul, Nadia
