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In our final segment Mr. Shyam Benegal talks about his cousin Guru Dutt and film-maker Satyajit Ray, and how they influenced and inspired him.

He also talks about the changing India and how that is influencing his story-telling.

In 1950 when Guru Dutt’s first film became a success Mr. Benegal says, “Guru Dutt made it big.” Mr. Benegal was in high school at this time. “Suddenly he had become this enormous figure in my eyes…and I said that is what I want.”

Mr. Benegal wanted to make different kinds of film and not the grand romantic films that his cousin directed and starred. He points out this cousin’s films were young people’s films with young people’s sensibilities. Tragically his cousin died very young. He was only 39 years old.

Mr. Benegal says Satyajit Ray’s Pather Panchali opened up the film-making path for him. After watching the film he realized that he could make films of his own choice, style and method. Later on, Mr. Benegal went on to make a film titled, Benegal on Ray. This two-hour long film is one of the rare instances where Mr. Ray talks about his private life and films.

Mr. Benegal concludes our conversation by discussing the changing India and how this is influencing his story-telling. He dismisses any ideas of retiring and laughingly admits, ” I am very jealous (of the new films) because I am not keeping up.” He has two projects in the pipeline: Chamki based on Prosper Merimee ’s Carmen, and a second project that is based on a 21st century Indian village.