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NEW DELHI: Shyam Benegal, a renowned Indian filmmaker known for pioneering a new wave cinema movement that tackled social issues in the 1970s, has died after suffering from chronic kidney disease. He was 90.

His contribution to cinema was recognized as a director, editor and screenwriter. He was also credited with a new genre of filmmaking.

Benegal passed away on Monday at Mumbai’s Wockhardt Hospital, and his cremation will take place on Tuesday, the Press Trust of India news agency reported, citing his daughter Piya.

“Benegal had been suffering from chronic kidney disease for several years but it had gotten very bad. That’s the reason for his death,” Piya said.

Many paid tribute to the legendary filmmaker on social media platform X.

Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt wrote that Benegal told stories without pretense. “They were raw and real, about the struggles of ordinary people. His films had craft and conviction.”

“Deeply saddened by the passing of Shyam Benegal, whose storytelling had a profound impact on Indian cinema. His works will continue to be admired by people from different walks of life,” India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.

He was a mentor to top Indian actors, including Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil, Naseeruddin Shah, and Om Puri who made their mark in Bollywood’s popular cinema as well.

“I have lost my foster father, a man to whom I owe more than I can say,” posted Naseeruddin Shah.

“Shyam Benegal was not just a legend; he was a visionary who redefined storytelling and inspired generations,” said actor Manoj Bajpayee.

Benegal came into the limelight in the 1970s, with a series of films that challenged mainstream Bollywood. His films Ankur (1974), Nishant (1975), Manthan (1976), and Bhumika (1977) represented a parallel cinema dealing with the social realities of a poor nation.

“Ankur” explored the feudal divide in India, while ”Manthan” was based on the story of the country’s cooperative dairy milk movement.

Benegal was widely known for his series “Bharat Ek Khoj,” a landmark 53-episode television series based on the book Discovery of India, written by India’s first prime minister, Jawahar Lal Nehru, and chronicled the country’s troubled passages, from ancient times to modernity.

He also directed a 2023 biopic on Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led Bangladesh’s freedom struggle against Pakistan in the 1970s. Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India in August following a student movement, is the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman

Benegal was born in December 1934, in Hyderabad in southern India, and had an early launch in the world of cinema. He earned an Economics degree from Hyderabad’s Osmania University and established the Hyderabad Film Society. He also ventured into advertising, where he directed over 900 sponsored documentaries and advertising films.

Benegal is survived by his wife Nira Benegal and daughter Piya.

SEOUL: South Korea’s main opposition party intends to pursue the impeachment of acting president Han Duck-soo, the party’s floor leader said on Tuesday.
The Democratic Party’s (DP) floor leader Park Chan-dae announced this after Han postponed approving legislation to launch a special counsel investigation into President Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed bid to impose martial law.
Prime Minister Han has taken over from the suspended Yoon, who was impeached on Dec. 14 and faces a Constitutional Court review on whether to oust him or restore his powers.
Han has called for the ruling and opposition parties to discuss the matter of a special counsel investigation and other issues.
“Acting president Han made it clear at today’s cabinet meeting that he would not greenlight the special prosecution law,” Park said.
“There is no way to interpret it other than that he is delaying time.”
The timing of submitting a bill to impeach Han could be decided as soon as Tuesday afternoon, local media reported.
With a majority in parliament, DP passed bills this month to appoint a special counsel to pursue charges of insurrection, among others, against the conservative Yoon — and to investigate his wife over a luxury bag scandal and other allegations.
Han did not put the bills on the cabinet’s agenda on Tuesday.
Han’s office could not immediately be reached for comment.
Yoon’s ruling People Power Party has accused the DP of threatening Han for not complying with their demands, at a time when South Korea’s key ally the United States has just restarted planned communications with Asia’s fourth-largest economy under Han’s stewardship.
Meanwhile, Yoon has yet to announce his legal team or appear publicly since a televised statement on Dec. 14, the day parliament impeached him.
Seok Dong-hyeon, a lawyer helping form Yoon’s defense team, told reporters on Tuesday that Yoon is unlikely to appear for questioning on Wednesday, Christmas Day, in answer to a summons by authorities investigating his move to impose martial law.
Yoon is prioritising the Constitutional Court’s trial on whether to remove him from office or to reinstate his presidential powers, Seok said.