I still have a long way to go: Shyam Benegal

New Delhi, Aug 8 (UNI) Winning the topmost film award in the country may seem as the ultimate achievement for a filmmaker with no more goals left to accomplish or roads to travel.

But it is not so for veteran filmmaker Shyam Benegal, who was today honoured with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke award by the Centre, the biggest accolade in Indian cinema.

While overwhelmed with the honour, Mr Benegal, who has over the years established himself as a name to reckon with through films like 'The Making of The Mahatma' and 'Zubeida', says he would like to carry on making films with same passion and vigour, the way he has done over the years.

''As far as recognitions go, it (the Dadasaheb Phalke award) is the highest recognition in the field of cinema that one can get. In this context, getting the award is wonderful and makes me feel overwhelmed.

I feel that as a filmmaker, I still have a long way to go. All the films I have made over the years have had something wanting in them. In fact, I want to continue making the kind of films I want as long as I have the strength to do so,''the filmmaker told the mediapersons on the sidelines of a press meet to announce 'CMS Vatavaran', a three day Environment and Wildlife film festival in the Capital next month.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting this morning announced Benegal's name for country's highest honour for cinema 'Dada Saheb Phalke Award', for 2005.

Expressing satisfaction with his record as a filmmaker, Mr Benegal said,''As a filmmaker, I have always believed in making movies that I am excited about. I don't make films for awards but because I want to do so.'' Mr Benegal said that though his career has had its highs and lows, he had all along enjoyed the process of making films.

''For me what matters the most is enjoying the process of making a film as I did while making films like 'The Making of the Mahatma'. I believe that the ambitions of filmmakers need not necessarily be making movies with an eye at the box office,'' the filmmaker said.

UNI