Abhishek Bachchan, Rakesh Roshan, Manoj Bajpayee Attend Sanjay Gupta’s Last Rites in Mumbai
Milap Zaveri gets emotional while paying tribute to the late filmmaker, says he will dedicate his next film to his mentor and close friend
MUMBAI— Members of the film fraternity, including actor Abhishek Bachchan, filmmaker Rakesh Roshan and actors Manoj Bajpayee and Fardeen Khan, gathered at Pawan Hans Crematorium in Mumbai on Saturday to pay their last respects to filmmaker Sanjay Gupta, who passed away at the age of 59.
Gupta’s last rites were attended by several prominent personalities from the film industry, including actors Rajat Bedi, Rohit Roy, Ronit Roy and Gulshan Grover, along with filmmakers Ashoke Pandit and Milap Zaveri.
Several colleagues and friends joined the filmmaker’s family during his final journey, remembering his contribution to Hindi cinema.
Filmmaker Milap Zaveri was visibly emotional as he arrived at Gupta’s residence to pay his respects. In a heartfelt social media tribute, Zaveri described the late director as his “Godfather”, “Friend” and “Brother” and announced that he would dedicate his next film to him.
Recalling their last meeting, which took place around 10 days before Gupta’s death, Zaveri wrote that he had shared the title of his upcoming film with the filmmaker.
“We met ten days ago and i told you the title of my next film. And you jumped in joy and said ‘Milap. The original film with the same title was produced by my father!!!’ The joy i felt at that moment and the pride you felt in me is indescribable. That title. This film. Will be dedicated to you. I love you Guruji. I will always love you (sic),” he wrote.
Gupta reportedly died following an accidental fall at his Mumbai residence on Friday night. According to reports, he fell and struck his head against a kitchen counter, sustaining serious injuries and losing a significant amount of blood.
His wife and two sons were reportedly present at the house but were asleep at the time of the incident. The filmmaker was discovered the following morning, after which the family informed the police.
The Versova Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.
Gupta was known for directing several commercially successful Hindi films, particularly in the action and crime thriller genres. His notable works include ‘Kaante’ (2002), ‘Musafir’ (2004), ‘Zinda’ (2006), ‘Shootout at Wadala’ (2013) and ‘Kaabil’ (2017).
His filmmaking career began with ‘Aatish: Feel the Fire’ in 1994, starring Sanjay Dutt and Aditya Pancholi. Over the years, he also produced and wrote several films, establishing a distinct identity in the Hindi film industry.
His last directorial venture, ‘The Miranda Brothers’, starring Harshvardhan Rane and Meezaan Jafri, was released in 2025.
Gupta’s sudden demise has prompted tributes from colleagues and members of the film fraternity, many of whom remembered him for his contribution to cinema and his personal relationships within the industry. (Source: IANS)
