‘Gupts, my brother. I still cannot believe that you are gone. We have shared so much together, so many memories and so many years of friendship. You have always been family to me, and that will never change. I will miss you, our conversations and all the times we spent together.’
IMAGE: Sanjay Gupta with his Kaante cast, Sanjay Dutt, Amitabh Bachchan and Kumar Gaurav. Photograph: Kind courtesy Sanjay Dutt/Instagram
Key Points
Sanjay Dutt, Anupam Kher, Mika Singh shared emotional tributes to Sanjay Gupta, remembering his contributions to cinema and personal relationships.
Anupam Kher highlighted Gupta’s distinctive style, immense love for cinema, and his role in launching Sikandar Kher’s career.
Colleagues universally praised Gupta’s passion for film, his down-to-earth nature, and his vibrant personality.
Kaante director Sanjay Gupta passed into the ages on October 30 at the age of 57, and the film industry is reeling from the shock.
Sanjay Dutt shared a close bond with Gupta, as he had starred in Gupta’s directorial debut, Aatish.
They went on to make many mother movies together — Plan, Musafir, Zinda and Shootout At Lokhandwala — and even partnered a production house called White Feather Films for a while before they fell out. But they reconciled again, reportedly at Amitabh Bachchan’s 70th birthday party in 2012.
Dutt posts: ‘Gupts, my brother. I still cannot believe that you are gone. We have shared so much together, so many memories and so many years of friendship. You have always been family to me, and that will never change. I will miss you, our conversations and all the times we spent together.
‘We were just discussing Kaante 2 recently, I will make Kaante 2 your dream, in memory of you my brother, I will do everything for this dream of yours to come true, love you forever and always. Life will not be the same without you, brother. May God bless your soul.’
Resul Pookutty: ‘What a terrible and shocking news for me personally and our friends and family… This is not a way to go.
’25 Years of working together…I’m still not able to process this… Your love for cinema was unparallel…we will miss you, one of the sanest voices from mainstream Hindi cinema… May your soul #restineternalpeace #ripsanjaygupta.’
IMAGE: Mika Singh, Ekta Kapoor, Mushtaq Sheikh and Sanjay Gupta. Photograph: Kind courtesy Mika Singh/Instagram
Mika Singh: ‘Today has been one of the most shocking and heartbreaking days for me. My big brother, Sanjay Gupta Ji, a wonderful human being, a down-to-earth personality, and an incredible filmmaker, director and producer, has left us far too soon. Bhai, you were like a godfather to me.
‘You gave me my very first Bollywood break, and I will always be grateful for your love, guidance and support. You will forever remain in my heart. May Waheguru bless your soul with eternal peace and give strength to the family to bear this irreparable loss. Rest in peace, Bhai. You will be deeply missed.’
Mika’s first major Bollywood break came with the hit song Ganpat from Gupta’s 2007 film, Shootout at Lokhandwala.
Anupam Kher: ‘Woke up in Stockholm to the heartbreaking news of my friend and director Sanjay Gupta’s passing. It is difficult to imagine someone so full of life suddenly being gone. Sanjay was a filmmaker with a distinctive style and an enormous love for cinema. He was an encyclopaedia of films.
‘You could ask him practically anything about movies, and a conversation with him would remind you how much he loved the world he belonged to. His passion came through in his social media posts too, where, of late, he had been expressing himself so openly.
‘I worked with him in two films. But he also holds a special place in our family’s journey. He was Sikandar’s first director. ‘Kher saab, we must work together!’ That was almost always his opening line whenever we met. He said it when I last met him, about a year ago.
‘We always think there will be time. Another meeting. Another conversation. Another film. It hurts to know that this one will remain unfinished. I remember his warmth, his affection, and a lovely Holi party at his home few years back. Those moments come back today, along with the sadness.
‘His films will keep his distinctive voice alive. Kaante and the Shootout films remain among my favourites. My heart goes out to his family, his friends, and everyone who loved him and his cinema. I will miss you, Sanjay. And I will miss hearing, “Kher saab, we must work together!” Om Shanti.’
Sanjay Gupta produced the thriller, Woodstock Villa with Sikander Kher, directed by Hansal Mehta.
IMAGE: Harshvardhan Rane and Sanjay Gupta on the sets of Miranda Brothers. Photograph: Kind courtesy Harshvardhan Rane/Instagram
Harshvardhan Rane: ‘I can’t imagine what Anu maam and kids must be going through, he was all about loving his family and making films non stop. When we shot Miranda Brothers, he took me and Meezaan out for eating in goa all the time, i had never met a more happy man on and off set. Heart broken. #SanjayGupta.’
Tusshar Kapoor: ‘Woke up to sad news about the unfortunate and sudden demise of my beloved director @_SanjayGupta …life is so unpredictable, though this man was a lesson learned in living life to the fullest! My deepest condolences to his family, RIP sir!’
Photographs curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff
