Benoy K. Behl is an Indian documentary filmmaker, art historian and photographer known for his work in documenting the art heritage of India and Asia. He has taken more than 50,000 photographs of Asian monuments and has produced more than 140 documentaries which are regularly screened at major cultural institutions worldwide.
Early life and education
Benoy K. Behl, from a Punjabi background, was born in New Delhi on 10 September 1956 and has a B.A. (Honours in English) degree from the University of Delhi (1973–76).
Photography and documentaries
Behl has photographed several historic monuments and ancient art works in both India and abroad, is considered an authority on Buddhist and Indian art history. His photographs of ancient Buddhist paintings of India, Badami cave temples, Lepakshi Temple, Brahadeeshwara Temple, Ellora Caves, Bagh Caves etc. have featured in international magazines like National Geographic. He has photographed paintings of Ajanta Caves without using flash and exhibited such photographs, numbering more than 1000, at several places including overseas locations such as Malaysia.
Documentary films
Behl's first two documentary films, made in 1976, were telecast by Doordarshan. Some of his other documentary films include Another Look at Khadi (on Gandhi's socio-economic philosophy), First Himalayan Car Rally, The Sculpture of India, The Paintings of India, and Divine Marriage. The Sculpture of India, which was first telecast by Dooradarshan, presents the development of Indian sculpture starting from the Indus Valley civilisation to the 17th century.
A series of documentary films shot by Benoy K.Behl, showing India's heritage especially from remote and inaccessible places were shown at India International Centre, New Delhi during August 2009 and this two-day film show, titled The Journey Within was inaugurated by Information and Broadcasting Minister, Government of India. He has also produced a series of documents called Spectacular India for Doordarshan. which covers historical monuments from Kashmir to Leh, Kangra etc.
He has taken more than 35,000 photographs and made more than 100 documentaries
He has made a critically acclaimed film on Guru Padmasambhava which has been screened at many forums.
In 2014, Behl, in collaboration with his friend Rahul Bansal, made a landmark documentary film on yoga, Yoga – An Ancient Vision of Life. The film, shot in several locations including India, Germany and the US, also features the last interview with the reputed yoga guru, BKS Iyengar.
Indian Roots of Tibetan Buddhism
A film made by Benoy Behl for Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. It has extensive interviews with the Dalai Lama. The film has won several International Film Festival Awards, including at the prestigious Madrid International Film Festival.
Press reports about the acclaimed film are on the links below.
Series of films on 'Spectacular India'
The Hindu newspaper states: "Art historian and filmmaker Benoy K Behl has completed shooting and documentation of the culture of the six North-Eastern states and West Bengal for his series on Doordarshan titled "Spectacular India". The 52-film series also showcases the tribal dances of the North-East states."
India has a rich variety of culture, landscape, architecture, traditions, customs, dances and music. This series of films presents significant glimpses of this "spectacular country".
These 52 films take us on an enthralling journey from the Kashmir Valley to Kanyakumari and from Tripura to the coast of Maharashtra.
The camera takes us into the lives of the forgotten Aryan tribes living in a remote corner of Ladakh, who wear numerous fresh flowers in their head-dress every day; to the invisible Aakash Linga in the Chidambaram Temple in Tamil Nadu; to the frozen icy deserts of Spiti; to the great Nunnery of Buddhist Anis in remote Arunachal Pradesh and to the exquisite Raas Lila of Manipur.
Doordarshan' series of 26 films 'The Paintings of India' by Benoy K Behl
In the words of Anandajoti posted on Dharma Documentaries: "Benoy Behl is one of the great art historians of India, and I have shown his films on Buddhist art on another post; and also his articles on Indian art.
Last year I was fortunate enough to be given six DVDs containing his whole series of 26 films on the subject of the Paintings of India, which was broadcast in 2005, and it took me nearly six months to savour them all.
Now Benoy Behl has made excerpts from the series, and uploaded them to his YouTube site, and I have made two playlists of them which I embed today and next week."