Muskit Gergous at 15:37, 4 August 2023

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{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Dev Benegal
| image = MZT7F2r8.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1960|12|28}}
| birth_place = [[New Delhi]], India
| death_date = 
| death_place =
| other_names =
| known_for = ''[[English, August (film)|English, August]]'' (1994)
| occupation = Film director, Screenwriter, Photographer
| nationality = [[Indian]]
| years_active = 1980–present
}}

'''Dev Benegal''' is an [[Indian]] [[filmmaker]] and screenwriter, most known for his debut film ''[[English, August (film)|English, August]]'' (1994), which won the [[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in English|Best Feature Film in English]] at the [[42nd National Film Awards]].

==Early life and education==
Dev was born in [[New Delhi]] to Som Benegal, a theatre director, and his wife Suman.

Dev Benegal grew up in New Delhi. In 1979, he left Delhi for Mumbai (then Bombay), to pursue a career in movies.<ref name=cin>[https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/WSpGRyYp6T2MhHSbclWlrJ/Cinema-under-the-sky.html Cinema under the sky:] [[Mint (newspaper)|Mint]], 21 December 2007.</ref> He won an Asian Cultural Council grant in Film, Video & Photography to study Film History in the Cinema Studies Program at [[New York University]] from 1989–90.<ref name=cam>[https://www.asianculturalcouncil.org/our-grantees/benegal-dev Grant awarded to Dev Benegal]</ref>

==Career==

===Early career===

He began his career with legendary animator [[Ram Mohan]] and got his first job with [[Shashi Kapoor]]'s Filmvalas.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/all-in-with-jennifer-and-shashi-kapoor/article22236669.ece|title=All in with Jennifer and Shashi Kapoor|last=Kendal|first=Dev Benegal Writes About His Experience of Working Shashi Kapoor and Jennifer|date=23 December 2017|work=The Hindu|access-date=2019-05-13|last2=Benegal|first2=Dev|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> After assisting [[Shyam Benegal]] in films like ''[[Kalyug (1980 film)|Kalyug]]'' (1980), ''[[Mandi (film)|Mandi]]'' (1983) and his famous documentary on [[Satyajit Ray]]—''Satyajit Ray, Filmmaker'' (1984)—Dev Benegal directed a series of short short films, ''Kalpavriksha: The Tree of Life'' (1988), ''Kanakambaram: Cloth: of Gold'' (1987), and ''Anantarupam: The Infinite Forms'' (1987). He directed several documentaries, including ''Shabana!'' (2003) with Indian film star [[Shabana Azmi]] and ''Abhivardhan: Building for a New Life'' (1992).

===Debut Feature Film and India's National Film Award===

In 1994 he wrote and directed his adaptation of [[Upamanyu Chatterjee]]'s 1989 [[English, August|novel by the same name]], based on the [[Indian Administrative Service]], ''[[English, August (film)|English, August]]'' (1994). The film received praise from critics for its modern and urban themes and was hailed as the cinematic counterpart to the later [[Indian English literature|Anglo-Indian literary movement]]. It also won the Best Feature Film in English Award at [[National Film Awards]],<ref name="ttf">[http://www.tiff.net/filmsandschedules/films/roadmovie Road Movie schedule and Dev Benegal profile] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090916005505/http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/films/roadmovie |date=16 September 2009 }} [[Toronto International Film Festival]].</ref> and is now hailed as a landmark in contemporary Indian cinema as it ushered in a wave of independent Indian filmmakers, commonly known as "multiplex films" in India.<ref name="cin" /><ref name="tor">[http://www.hindustantimes.com/cinema-news/cinema/Dev-Benegal-s-Road-Movie-to-premiere-at-Toronto-fest/455424/Article1-448040.aspx Dev Benegal's Road Movie to premiere at Toronto fest] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606101928/http://www.hindustantimes.com/cinema-news/cinema/Dev-Benegal-s-Road-Movie-to-premiere-at-Toronto-fest/455424/Article1-448040.aspx |date=6 June 2011 }} [[Hindustan Times]], 28 August 2009.</ref>

The New York Times wrote:<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/1997/04/05/movies/alien-and-alone-in-his-own-country.html</ref> In “[[English, August]],” his first feature film, Mr. Benegal deftly manages the feat of using the scalpel of humor to lay bare a young man's painful but edifying immersion in an alien culture within his own land and to deliver potent sociological and political messages. Irreverent humor, frustrated idealism and earnest compassion are blended with a keen sense of character, place and political reality in the auspicious ''English, August.''

"English, August" won the Special Jury Award at the 12th Torino Film Festival 1994.<ref name=torin>http://www.torinofilmfest.org/en/history.html#historyBoxItem/12/premi</ref> It won both the Silver Montgolfiere (Silver Grand Prix) and the Gilberto Martinez Solares prize for the Best First Film at the 16th Festival des 3 Continents, Nantes France, 1994<ref>http://www.3continents.com/fr/programme/1994/</ref>

===Later Films and Upcoming Projects===

''[[Split Wide Open]]'' (1999), another [[Hinglish]] film, was also a critical success and won a Special Jury Prize at the 2000 [[Singapore International Film Festival]]. Writing for [[The Hindu]], Savitha Padmanabhan said: "''Split Wide Open'' is a bold and strong statement on the filth and lawlessness that have wormed their way into the city of dreams, Mumbai".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/2000/03/31/stories/09310224.htm|website=[[The Hindu]]|title=Film Review: ''Split Wide Open''|date=2000-03-31|access-date=2019-05-22}}{{dead link|date=April 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> In an article for [[The Times of India]], the film's lead actor [[Rahul Bose]] wrote: "Critics flayed me: After Split Wide Open was released, critics ripped apart my character. To be an English-speaking slum-dweller who is also a smuggler, I spent a month in slums and even shadowed a cocaine-dealer for two weeks. Ironically, the criticism at home turned into praise when I won the Best Actor award for Split Wide Open at the Singapore Film Festival."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/Rahul-Bose-Split-wide-open/articleshow/155386.cms|title=Rahul Bose: Split wide open - Times of India|website=The Times of India|language=en|access-date=2019-05-22}}</ref>

Benegal's latest film, ''[[Road, Movie]]'' (2009), about a travelling cinema troupe in Rajasthan, and starring [[Abhay Deol]] and [[Tannishtha Chatterjee]] as the lead, premiered at the 2009 [[Toronto International Film Festival]].<ref name="ttf" /><ref name="tor" /><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090925051236/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/road-movie-is-a-reflection-of-my-journey-says-director/101389-8-17.html Road, Movie is a reflection of my journey, says director] [[CNN IBN]], 15 September 2009.</ref> In its review, [[The Hollywood Reporter]] wrote: "Dev Benegal's 'Road, Movie' takes you on a magical mystery tour into the heart of India and its robust cinema. It is, in fact, a road movie without the comma, but it is also about being on the road in a vast Indian landscape and about the phenomenon of touring cinemas that still exist in rural India. The film is specifically Indian, yet designed for wider appreciation in festivals and, if all goes well at the European Film Market, in cross-over releases in international territories."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/road-movie-film-review-29287|title=Road, Movie -- Film Review|website=The Hollywood Reporter|language=en|access-date=2019-05-22}}</ref>

His project ''Bombay Samourai'' was an official selection for the [[Hong Kong International Film Festival|Hong Kong Asia Film Finance Forum]] (HAF)<ref>[http://dearcinema.com/news/dev-benegala%C2%A2a%E2%80%9A%C2%ACa%E2%80%9E%C2%A2s-project-a%C2%A2a%E2%80%9A%C2%ACeoesamuraia%C2%A2a%E2%80%9A%C2%ACa%E2%80%9E%C2%A2-selected-for-haf/3542 Dev Benegal’s project ‘Samurai’ Selected for HAF] By DearCinema.com, 6 January 2010.</ref> at the HongKong International Film Festival. This film is in development.<ref>[http://www.indiantelevision.com/aac/y2k11/aac291.php IFEA delegation in Hong Kong, attending Film & TV market]</ref>

Dev Benegal is also developing a film on the life of mathematician [[Srinivasa Ramanujan]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110911161639/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-03-20/hyderabad/29148457_1_uk-varsities-indian-students-british-council British Council ropes in Indian alumni to promote UK varsities]</ref>

==Other works==
===24x7 Making Movies===

In 2006, Benegal started a production program called 24×7 Making Movies, where he invited young people from all over India to come and make a film in 24 hours.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gigaom.com/2006/11/13/hungama-mobile-and-dev-benegal-get-users-to-create-content-for-internet-and/|title=Hungama Mobile And Dev Benegal Get Users To Create Content For Internet And Mobile|last=Staff|first=Edit|date=13 November 2006|website=gigaom.com|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-18}}</ref> The program has produced over 60 short feature films.

===Screenwriting===
Benegal is a long time advisor to eQuinoxe Screenwriting Workshops for Professionals.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.equinoxe-europe.org/)%20(http://www.equinoxegermany.org/eq_europe/index.php?article_id=16|title=www.equinoxe-europe.org|website=www.equinoxe-europe.org|access-date=2019-05-18}}</ref> He has been invited by Under The Volcano, the international program of writing master classes to create and conduct a screenwriting master class for their 2020 program.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://underthevolcano.org/screenwriting/|title=Screenwriting|website=UTV|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-18}}</ref>

== Themes and style ==
[[Pritish Nandy]] while describing Benegal's films, said: "Dev Benegal spearheads the brat pack of movie directors who are all out to prove that indian movies is not all pelvis thrusting and running around trees."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Encounters-Dev-Benegal/articleshow/245294155.cms|title=Encounters - Dev Benegal - Times of India|website=The Times of India|access-date=2019-05-20}}</ref>

An academic paper ''(Prateek, Prateek. (2013). "Popart": The 'global' avatar of bollywood. 5. 247-257)'' on Bollywood draws upon insights from his work and describes it as follows: "Benegal’s cinematic dialogue with Indianness of English along with Englishness of India, with narratives of belonging, and with the compacted heterogeneity of urban-industrial India, established in his early cinema... Benegal understands the gravity of the national metaphor of 'unity in diversity', and tries to manifest it in the polyphony of various languages and different dialects – English, Hindi, and Telugu. Equally important are his 'artistic' story-telling skills, a trait usually found in the art cinema: the capacity to create credible characters (human or otherwise, like Dadru, the frog) and cultures, skilful scene-setting, mastery of pace and timing, and power of imagination."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Prateek_Prateek3|title=Prateek Prateek {{!}} The University of Queensland, Brisbane {{!}} UQ|website=ResearchGate|language=en|access-date=2019-05-20}}</ref>

==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! class="unsortable"| Awards & Honors
|-
| 2009
|''[[Road, Movie]]''
|
*[[2009 Toronto International Film Festival|Toronto International Film Festival (2009)]]: Premiere & Special Presentation
*[[Berlin International Film Festival]] (2010): Opening Night film<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.berlinale.de/en/archiv/jahresarchive/2010/02_programm_2010/02_Filmdatenblatt_2010_20100082.html?openedFromSearch=true#tab=filmStills|title=Road, Movie|website=www.berlinale.de|language=en|access-date=2019-05-13}}</ref>
|-
| 1999
|''[[Split Wide Open]]''
|
* [[Singapore International Film Festival]] (2000): Special Jury Prize<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sgiff.com/festival-editions/2000-sgiff-13/|title=2000: SGIFF 13|website=Singapore International Film Festival|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-20}}</ref>
*Turnhout International Film Festival Belgium (2000): The Grand Prix Award<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.iaac.us/The%20Indian%20Diaspora%202002/Split%20Wide%20Open.htm|title=Indo-American Arts Council, Inc.|website=www.iaac.us|access-date=2019-05-15}}</ref>
|-
| 1994
|[[English, August (film)|''English, August'']]
|
* [[Festival des 3 Continents]] (1994): Silver [[Montgolfiere]] (Silver Grand Prix)<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=http://www.3continents.com/en/programme/1994/|title=Festival des 3 Continents {{!}} Programmes {{!}} 1994|website=www.3continents.com|access-date=2019-05-20}}</ref>
*[[Festival des 3 Continents]] (1994): Gilberto Martinez Solares (Best First Film)<ref name=":3" />
*[[Torino Film Festival|Torino International Film Festival]] (1994): Special Jury Award<ref name=":0">[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0070865/awards Awards] [[IMDb]]</ref>
*[[42nd National Film Awards|National Film Awards (1995)]]: [[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in English|Best Feature Film in English]]
|}

==Screenplays==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! class="unsortable"| Awards / Notes
|-
|2019
|Tempest
|
|-
| 2018
| ''The Revenge of the Non-Vegetarian''
| Based on a novel<ref>https://www.thehindu.com/books/beef-or-something-else-the-revenge-of-the-non-vegetarian-by-upamanyu-chatterjee/article24590776.ece</ref> by [[Upamanyu Chatterjee]]
|-
| 2018
| ''Further to Fly''
| From the story "Occupant" by Meera Nair
|-
|2015
|''Dark Fiber''
|
|-
| 2014
| ''Dead, End''
|Network of Asian Fantastic Films Prize<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=http://www.indiantelevision.com/movies/hindi/dev-benegal-wins-at-hong-kong-film-bazaar-140404|title=Dev Benegal wins at Hong Kong Film Bazaar|date=4 April 2014|website=Indian Television Dot Com|language=en|access-date=2019-05-13}}</ref>
|-
|2012
|''Stairway to Heaven''
|
|-
|2010
|''Samurai''
|Official selection at the Hong Kong Asia Film Finance Forum<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.screendaily.com/hong-kong-asia-financing-forum-selects-25-projects-for-8th-edition/5009398.article|title=Hong Kong Asia financing forum selects 25 projects for 8th edition|last=staff2010-01-06T12:47:00+00:00|first=Screen|website=Screen|language=en|access-date=2019-05-13}}</ref>
|-
|2009
|''Road, Movie''
|Oﬃcial selection of Atelier du Cannes at the [[Cannes Film Festival]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.screendaily.com/puiu-weerasethakul-among-film-makers-in-cannes-atelier/4026540.article|title=Puiu, Weerasethakul among film-makers in Cannes Atelier|last=Tartaglione-Vialatte2006-03-17T00:00:00+00:00|first=Nancy|website=Screen|language=en|access-date=2019-05-13}}</ref>
|-
|1999
|''Split Wide Open''
|
|-
|1994
|''English, August''
|
|}

==Documentaries==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! class="unsortable"| Awards & Honors
|-
| 2003
|''Shabana!''
|
* Opening film at [[New York Film Festival]]'s tribute to legendary Indian film star [[Shabana Azmi]]
|-
| 1997
|''Merchants & Marxists: Stones of the Raj''
|
* ''Stones of the Raj'' series for Channel Four
|-
| 1993
|''Field of Shadows''
|
* ''South'' for Channel Four
|-
| 1992
|''Abhivardhan: Building for a New Life''
|
|-
| 1988
|''Kalpavriksha: The Tree of Life''
|
* Official Selection 1st Bombay International Film Festival (1990)
*Indian Documentary Producers Association Awards for Excellence (1988): Certificate of Merit
|-
| 1987
|''Kanakambaram: Cloth of Gold''
|
* Official Selection 1st Bombay International Film Festival (1990)
*Official Selection "Indian Panorama" at the Indian International Film Festival New Delhi (1989)
|-
| 1987
|''Anantarupam: The Infinite Forms''
|
* Official Selection 12th Asian American International Film Festival New York (1989)
* Indian Documentary Producers Association Awards for Excellence (1987): Special Jury Award
*Indian Documentary Producers Association Awards for Excellence (1987): Best Cinematography
|}

==Awards==
{{Awards table|2}}
|-
|2014
|Dead, End ''(screenplay)''
|Network of Asian Fantastic Films Prize<ref name=":4" />
|{{won}}
|[[Hong Kong International Film Festival]]
|-
|2011
|[[Road, Movie]]
|Best Sound for Vikram Joglekar<ref>https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/features/winners-of-17th-annual-star-screen-awards-2011/</ref>
|{{won}}
|17th Annual Star [[Screen Awards]]

|-
|2010
|[[Road, Movie]]
|Golden Duke Award<ref name=":0" />
|{{nominated}}
|[[Odessa International Film Festival]]
|-
|2009
|[[Road, Movie]]
|Tokyo Sakura Grand Prix Award<ref name=":0" />
|{{nominated}}
|[[Tokyo International Film Festival]]
|-
|2000
|[[Split Wide Open]]
|Special Jury Prize<ref name=":0" />
|{{won}}
|[[Singapore International Film Festival]]
|-
|2000
|[[Split Wide Open]]
|Silver Screen Award<ref name=":0" />
|{{nominated}}
|[[Singapore International Film Festival]]

|-
|2000
|[[Split Wide Open]]
|The Grand Prix<ref name=":1" />
|{{won}}
|Turnhout International Film Festival Belgium (Focus Op Het Zuiden)
|-
|2000
|[[Split Wide Open]]
|Grand Prix<ref name=":0" />
|{{nom}}
|[[Bratislava International Film Festival]]
|-
|2000
|[[Split Wide Open]]
|Best Actor for [[Rahul Bose]]<ref name=":2" />
|{{won}}
|[[Singapore International Film Festival]]
|-
| 1995
|[[English, August (film)|English, August]]
|[[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in English|Best Feature Film in English]]
|{{won}}
|[[National Film Awards]]
|-
| 1994
|[[English, August (film)|English, August]]
|Silver Montgolfiere (Silver Grand Prix)<ref name=":3" />
|{{won}}
|[[Festival des 3 Continents]]
|-
| 1994
|[[English, August (film)|English, August]]
|Golden Montgolfiere (Golden Grand Prix)<ref name=":3" />
|{{nom}}
|[[Festival des 3 Continents]]
|-
|1994
|[[English, August (film)|English, August]]
|Gilberto Martinez Solares (Best First Film)<ref name=":3" />
|{{won}}
|[[Festival des 3 Continents]]
|-
|1994
|[[English, August (film)|English, August]]
|Special Jury Award<ref name=":0" />
|{{won}}
|[[Torino Film Festival|Torino International Film Festival]]
|-
|1994
|[[English, August (film)|English, August]]
|Prize of the City of Torino<ref name=":0" />
|{{nom}}
|[[Torino Film Festival|Torino International Film Festival]]

|-
|1988
|Kalpavriksha
|Certificate of Merit<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=http://devbenegal.com/about/awards/|title=Awards & Citations – Dev Benegal|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-15}}</ref>
|{{won}}
|Indian Documentary Producers Association Awards for Excellence
|-
|1987
|Anantarupam
|Special Jury Award<ref name=":2" />
|{{won}}
|Indian Documentary Producers Association Awards for Excellence
|-
|1987
|Anantarupam
|Best Cinematography<ref name=":2" />
|{{won}}
|Indian Documentary Producers Association Awards for Excellence
{{end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://devbenegal.com Dev Benegal Weblog]
*{{IMDb name|id=0070865|name=Dev Benegal}}
*{{AllMovie name|188479}}
*{{AlloCiné name|62285}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Benegal, Dev}}
[[Category:1960 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Film directors from Delhi]]
[[Category:Hindi-language film directors]]
[[Category:Indian male screenwriters]]
[[Category:Indian documentary filmmakers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian film directors]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian film directors]]

Dev Benegal - Revision history

Muskit Gergous at 15:37, 4 August 2023