Divya Dutta shares a cherished moment from Shyam Benegal’s 90th birthday with Shabana Azmi and Naseeruddin Shah

Mumbai: Divya Dutta took to social media to share unseen moments from late veteran filmmaker Shyam Benegal’s 90th birthday celebrations.

The intimate gathering brought together stalwarts like Shabana Azmi and Naseeruddin Shah, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Rajit Kapur, Atul Tiwari, filmmaker-actor Kunal Kapoor, and others. Taking to her Instagram handle, Divya shared a throwback image from the celebrations and captioned it as, “This day..last year…but memories live on…the fondeetvones. Happy bday #shyambenegal !! Thankyou for the movies..thankyou for the life lessons..the experience, the joy of being on your sets and in your amazing company…alwqys n always lilove for you…”

The nostalgic photo shows Shabana Azmi smiling and waving while seated next to Shyam Benegal. Divya Dutta, Naseeruddin Shah, and others can be seen standing behind them, striking a pose.

For the unversed, Veteran Indian filmmaker Shyam Benegal passed away on December 23, 2024, just days after celebrating his 90th birthday. Born on December 14, 1934, the legendary director died in Mumbai due to kidney-related ailments. The late filmmaker marked his milestone birthday on December 14 alongside Shabana Azmi, Divya Dutta, Naseeruddin Shah, Rajit Kapur, Atul Tiwari, and several others.

Renowned for his iconic and award-winning films like “Ankur,” “Bhumika,” “Manthan,” and “Nishant,” Shyam Benegal leaves behind an extraordinary legacy in Indian cinema. He made his feature film debut with “Ankur” in 1974, starring Anant Nag and Shabana Azmi, a critically acclaimed work that won the National Film Award for Second Best Feature Film and established him as a pioneering filmmaker.

His final directorial venture, “Mujib: The Making of a Nation” (2023), portrayed the life of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Over his illustrious career, Benegal received multiple National Awards for films including “Bhumika: The Role,” “Junoon,” “Arohan,” “Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero,” and “Well Done Abba.”

IANS