Mani Kaul dead

Iconic film maker Mani Kaul, 66, died today after prolonged illness,leaving behind a rich cinematic legacy. He was considered one of the pioneers of new creative Indian cinema .Kaul, born in Jodhpur in Rajasthan to a Kashmiri family, was ranked among the film makers who contributed to new Indian cinema with their perfect films. Mani Kaul began his career with Uski Roti (A Day’s Bread, 1969) won him the Filmfare Critics Award for best movie and his other films Duvidha (In Two Minds, 1973) Satah Se Uthata Aadmi (Arising From The Surface, 1980) , Dhrupad (1982), Siddheshwari (1989), Nazar (The Gaze, 1989), Naukar Ki Kameez (The Servant’s Shirt, 1999), Een Aaps Regenjas (A Monkey’s Raincoat, 2005) and many short films and documentaries.He was an excellent Drupad singer .A graduate from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Kaul got National Film Award for Best documentary film "Siddheshwari" in 1989. Kaul's tradition of experimental film-making has become the part of Indian cinema history. "Mani was in pain not only because of the cancer, but also because of the general public apathy towards certain values. That this material world does not sufficiently respect intellect, integrity, creativity and honesty with anything tangible, had made his life, as with most intellectuals, a continually joyous struggle in many ways," his associate Neville Tuli, founder-chairman of Osian's Connoisseurs of Art Tuli revealed in a letter titled "To Mani with Love". Many filmmakers believed that Kaul's style of filmmaking was not at all guided by the demand or taste of the audience. He did what he believed in, and hoped that the young generation would do so too. He was also a great teacher of Indian cinema and an accomplished Drupad singer. Analyst Dileep Padgaonkar said "he had a luminous mind. He shed light on making innovative films."