Mumbai, December 28: Veteran actors Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Azmi shared heartfelt memories of filmmaker Shyam Benegal at a memorial service held at the Y B Chavan Centre in Mumbai on Saturday.

They fondly remembered his “wide, warm smile” and unwavering dedication to his craft. The gathering included prominent film personalities such as Javed Akhtar, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Ila Arun, Prahlad Kakkar, Urmila Matondkar, and Divya Dutta.

Benegal, a celebrated filmmaker, passed away on December 23 at 90 after battling chronic kidney disease. His death came shortly after celebrating his milestone birthday on December 14. He is survived by his wife, Nira, and daughter, Pia.