Shyam Benegal passes away: Taking a look back at his photo with his leading ladies Shabana Azmi and Smita Patil from Cannes 1976

Legenadary filmmaker Shyam Benegal left a void in the Indian film industry after he breathed his last on December 23. He was 90.

While messages of condolences pour in from all sides on social media, a priceless throwback photo of the director with his leading ladies Shabana Azmi and Smita Patil has gone viral.


Check out the photo here:


The said photo if from Cannes Film Festival from the year 1976. The trio was attending the festival for the film Nishant, which was an official selection. In earlier years, the festival was primarily known for its focus on quality films, unlike recent times when fashion discussions often overshadow the film selections.

In fact, veteran director Shyam Benegal made the actresses walk in saris down the promenade, "for attention." Ms Azmi also shared an anecdote about their Cannes experience. "We had only eight USD, and each of us survived on the per diem provided by the festival. (sic)"



Nishant is a 1975 Hindi film based on an original screenplay by playwright Vijay Tendulkar. The movie features veteran actors like Girish Karnad, Amrish Puri, and Naseeruddin Shah, who made his debut in this film.