Routledge Shyam Benegal's India: Alternative Images - Film Analysis

This comprehensive study examines Shyam Benegal's groundbreaking films and the alternative images of India presented through his cinema, tracing how his aesthetic vision evolved during the post-liberalisation era. The book explores how Benegal addressed the complex challenges facing India as a post-colonial nation-state, analysing hybrid and layered narratives across iconic films including Manthan, Junoon, Kalyug, Charandas Chor, Sooraj Ka Satvaan Ghoda, Zubeidaa and Well Done Abba. It demonstrates how these stories and characters, drawn from mythology, folk-tales, historical fiction and novels, are deeply rooted in India's socio-political landscape. Essential for scholars, film students and cinema enthusiasts seeking to understand how Benegal's work redefined Indian cinema and challenged conventional representations of the nation.