‘The World, My World, Will Never Be The Same’

‘Shyam
babu,
you
will
always
be
with
us
through
your
films,
your
laughter
and
your
wise
and
kind
words.’

India
mourned
when
Cinema
Giant
Shyam
Benegal


passed
into
the
ages
on
December
23.

His
movie
voice
was
so
strong
that
a
parallel
cinema
emerged
just
to
accommodate
his
cinema
alongside
Bollywood’s
commercial
fare.

Nandita
Das,
who
had
worked
with
Benegal
in
2000’s

Hari
Bhari,
pens
a
touching
tribute
to
the
Master:

Most
likely
you
already
know
that
Shyam
Benegal
is
no
more.

You
should
also
know
that
with
him
an
era
has
ended.

He
waited
to
go
till
he
met
many
of
his
loved
ones
on
his
90th
birthday,
just
a
week
ago.
Sadly
I
wasn’t
in
town
so
missed
that
last
smile,
hug
and
warmth.

What
I
want
to
share
is
what
a
wonderful
human
being
he
was.

I
spent
last
2
hours
talking
about
him
to
some
of
the
people
who
knew
him
well.
We
mourned
only
for
a
bit
as
we
didn’t
want
to
be
selfish.

He
lived
a
full
life,
and
just
when
his
health
began
to
suffer
more,
he
left
to
rest
in
peace.

All
we
talked
about
was
how
kind
and
generous
he
was.

How
present
he
was
with
everyone
he
met.

Always
making
us
feel
special.

Always
responded
to
e-mails
and
messages.

Memories
of
so
many
interactions
with
him
came
flashing
back.

Just
2
days
after

Zwigato
was
streaming
on
Amazon,
he
watched
it
and
e-mailed
me
with
such
praise
and
encouragement.

I
was
one
of
the
million
people
he
cared
for.

I
will
miss
his
laugh,
his
firm
loving
hug
and
his
twinkling
eyes.

I
always
felt
like
a
student
who
was
eager
to
learn
though
he
would
never
claim
to
be
a
teacher.
His
wisdom
was
effortless.

I,
like
so
many
others,
grew
up
on
his
films.

They
helped
us
be
who
we
are.

They
informed
us,
created
empathy
and
challenged
our
prejudices.
Made
us
think
and
feel
and
care
about
the
world
we
lived
in.
He
made
us
better
human
beings.

I
am
so
fortunate
to
not
only
have
worked
with
him
in

Hari
Bhari,
a
lesser
known
film
of
his,
but
also
for
having
known
him
for
more
than
3
decades.

Shyam
babu,
as
we
all
lovingly
and
respectfully
called
you,
you
will
always
be
with
us
through
your
films,
your
laughter
and
your
wise
and
kind
words.

Pardon
my
ramble,
but
want
to
just
be
with
you
and
remember
so
many
lovely
and
lively
times
I
got
to
spend
with
you.

The
world,
my
world,
will
never
be
the
same.

One
doesn’t
have
to
even
meet
often.

Some
people’s
existence
just
gives
us
hope.

Your
contribution
has
been
immense.
A
life
fully
lived.
Now
you
rest.