On the evening of December 23, I was at an event. Soon after it commenced, messages started popping up on Whats App about the passing away of the legendary filmmaker Shyam Benegal. I was hoping for it to be a rumour as that happens a lot in today’s times. Unfortunately, this one turned out to be true. Despite being at the event physically, my mind started seeing flashes related to the filmmaker who, I realized, would now be referred to as ‘late’.

Benegal was not only one of the best filmmakers from India but also an important pillar of the parallel cinema movement that took place in the 1970s and 80s. He came up with a number of gems during that era and after that. If there had to be a poster boy of uncompromising independent filmmaking, it had to be him.

But for me, Benegal was much more than that. He was someone from the industry I spoke the most with in my career so far as a film journalist. The flashes I saw while sitting at the event were not only about his films but also my various interactions with him, be it face-to-face, telephonic or through messages. Hence, this write-up is about my personal experience with him instead of his films, about which a lot has already been written and will be written.

My first meeting happened with him as a fan in 2013 at the NCPA (National Centre of Performing Arts). It was a screening of the restored classics of Dadasaheb Phalke where Benegal was the chief guest. I had a brief chat with him and happily posed for a photograph clicked by my friend Gaurav Naik. Interestingly, Gaurav was also one of the fans wanting to click a picture with Benegal. I clicked his and he clicked mine and we became friends. After the news of his passing away, me and Gaurav remembered that we know each other only because of Benegal.

At that time, I cherished that picture with Benegal as I wasn’t sure whether I would ever get to meet him again. How glad I was to be proven wrong.

In around 2016, I joined a new publication called Cinestaan. Along with current news, it also specialized in writing about old films and celebrating veterans from various areas of films, be it in the front or behind the camera. We gave special importance to birthday and anniversary articles.

This gave me an opportunity to contact Mr Benegal once in June 2017 regarding the birth anniversary of Mr Amrish Puri. He had worked in a lot of Benegal’s movies and the two also had a good personal rapport. Hence, we thought Benegal would be the right person to talk about him.

But considering ours was a new publication, I wondered if he would agree to speak. Nevertheless, I called him. Much to my pleasant surprise, Benegal not only agreed to speak, he also called me at his office at Tardeo, which was very near to our office. He wanted to have a face-to-face conversation. I was delighted.

As soon as I entered his office that radiated the old-world charm, one of his staff members took me to his cabin. I was pleased to see Benegal again. But I was a bit stunned to see his desk literally being surrounded by books. They were mostly non-fiction on varied topics. The scenario spoke a lot of how well-read he was.

I was expecting the filmmaker to share a few memories with Puri. But Benegal shared many and that too in a deep and unhurried manner. Even before writing, I knew this was going to be one of my most memorable interviews.

Suddenly, an idea struck me. Benegal’s birthday was around six months later in December. I thought then and there to do an interview with him for his birthday on his filmmaking journey. I was not sure if he would agree because I had only asked him for an interview for Puri’s anniversary. But I somehow gathered courage and asked him if he would speak about his career for a birthday interview. He happily agreed for that too!

Obviously, I had prepared no questions for this interview. But I just asked about how his love affair with films began and this was enough for him to go down memory lane. He narrated how he secretly used to watch films during his childhood and that’s how he was introduced to the medium of cinema. I could easily see a child-like innocence in a man who was 80 plus back then.

Suddenly, Benegal’s phone rang in between the interview. He decided to pick it up. I wanted to pause the recording but my phone was on the other side where he was sitting, so it would have been awkward. So, I let it be. While talking over the phone, Benegal made a strong political comment. Soon, he hung up. I thought he would ask me to keep that comment off the record. But he didn’t. Maybe because some trust had developed. Of course, I didn’t use that part as that would have been unethical.

Anyways, both the articles (the one on Puri in June and on Benegal’s career in December) turned out to be special only because of Benegal’s inputs. I had visited him hoping to get one decent interview. Instead, I got two memorable ones. (You can read them HERE and HERE).

After the first article on Amrish Puri was published, I sent him the link on Whats App. But he didn’t reply despite seeing the message. I assumed he must be busy. Six months later when Benegal’s birthday interview was published, I sent him the link again. But again there was no response from his side. I again assumed he must be busy, although I was a bit disheartened.

Weeks later, I messaged him to get his opinion on something. He replied soon. I then managed to ask him whether he read the previous two articles I had sent him. He explained that he won’t be able to read them because he doesn’t read anything online; it has to be in print. This never struck me! So, a few days later, I took the printouts of the articles and dropped them to his office as, co-incidentally, I had to visit the same area for some other work. Unfortunately, he wasn’t present, so I asked his staff to please hand it over to him.

After returning to my office, I was hoping that he gets to read those articles and how great it would be to get a message from him. But he didn’t message. Instead, he called up, thanked me and had a good warm chat. I remember that phone call like it was just months ago.

I considered this interview as a great one-time experience. But I didn’t expect this to be a start of a number of interactions with him in the following years. From speaking on the anniversary of his film Zubeidaa (read HERE) to fearlessly sharing his opinion on matters related to censorship and CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification), he always spoke in a determined and unhurried manner (read HERE and HERE). The little political side I saw of his during that call in between our interview was visible in these conversations.

I consider myself very fortunate to have got a chance to speak a number of times with one of the filmmaking legends and a politically aware and concerned citizen.

However, I will remember him the most as someone who shared about his secret visits to cinema halls as a kid with that childlike innocence.