Veteran filmmaker Shyam Benegal passed away at the age of 90 on December 23. He was celebrated for his extensive work that highlighted realism and social issues.

One of his most acclaimed films was Manthan, released in 1976, featuring stars like Smita Patil, Naseeruddin Shah, and Shabana Azmi. In a chat with PTI, Benegal shared that the film became a huge hit thanks to the backing of farmers.

Manthan has a truly unique premise. It was fully funded by 500,000 farmers who each contributed ₹2. When it hit theaters, the film was met with glowing reviews and went on to win two National Awards: one for Best Feature Film in Hindi and another for Best Screenplay, awarded to Vijay Tendulkar.

Shyam Benegal's comments

In a chat with PTI back in May 2024, the seasoned filmmaker reminisced about how the film became a hit thanks to the farmers from Gujarat who not only crowdfunded it but also packed the theaters to watch it together.

He mentioned, “The farmers who backed the film played a huge role in its success. When it premiered in Saurashtra, Gujarat, it really took off. They were the film's first audience, and they brought their families along.”

They would all arrive in bullock carts...

He added that everyone wanted to experience it because they felt it was their film. People would travel on bullock carts from places like Ahmedabad and Baroda just to see it. We didn’t do any advertising; the film gained its own traction.

Manthan was featured in the classics section at the Cannes Film Festival this past May. The restoration was done at Prasad Corporation Pvt. Ltd.’s Post-Studios in Chennai and L’Immagine Ritrovata Laboratory, in collaboration with the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd, cinematographer Govind Nihalani, and Benegal.

Read Also: Blake Lively's Co-Stars Show Solidarity Amid Harassment Allegations Against Justin Baldoni

HOW DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE? CHOOSE YOUR EMOTICON!