Father - director Nikolai Shengelaya, mother - actress Nato Vachnadze.
Brother - director Georgiy Shengelaya.
Graduated from VGIK.
People's Artist of the Georgian SSR.
People's Artist of the USSR (1988)
In 1958-1960 - director of the Mosfilm film studio, since 1960 - of the Georgia-Film studio. Heads the directing workshop of the Tbilisi Theatre Institute named after Sh. Rustaveli.
Since 1976 - 1st Secretary of the Board of the Union of Cinematographers of Georgia and Secretary of the Board
of the Union of Cinematographers of the USSR.