Noted filmmaker Mani Kaul, who was considered one of the pioneers of new Indian cinema, died in New Delhi

Noted filmmaker Mani Kaul, who was considered one of the pioneers of new Indian cinema, died in New Delhi on Wednesday after prolonged illness.

Mani Kaul, 66, is survived by two sons and as many daughters.

He breathed his last at 1 a.m. at his home in New Delhi after he was discharged from a hospital on Tuesday night, his family said.

Mani Kaul, born in Jodhpur in Rajasthan to a Kashmiri family, was ranked among the filmmakers who contributed to new Indian cinema with their exemplary movies. His uncle was well-known actor-director Mahesh Kaul.

Mani Kaul began his career with Uski Roti in 1969 which won him the Filmfare Critics Award for best movie and his other movies like Ashad Ka ek Din, Duvidha and Idiot also got awards.

A graduate from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Mani Kaul got the National Film Award for his documentary film Siddheshwari in 1989.

Condoling the death of Mani Kaul, Centre’s interlocutor on Kashmir Dileep Padgaonkar said, “He had a luminous mind. He shed light on making innovative films.”

“Mani will be remembered as one of the pioneers, along with Kumar Shahni, of a parallel cinema movement in India. He was also a great teacher of Indian cinema and an accomplished Drupad singer,” he said.