Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta, known for his iconic gangster and heist films, passed away at 57 following a fall at his Mumbai home. His cremation at Pawan Hans Crematorium saw tributes from industry stalwarts like Manoj Bajpayee and Abhishek Bachchan. Gupta's legacy includes hits like 'Kaante' and 'Shootout at Lokhandwala,' leaving an indelible mark on Indian cinema.
Having spent nearly three decades making gangster and heist films, many of them inspired by Hollywood titles, filmmaker Sanjay Gupta died in Mumbai on October 31, aged 57, following a fall at his home that left the director with a head injury. The cremation took place at the Pawan Hans Crematorium in Juhu later that Saturday.
Versova police have registered an accidental death report and are examining the circumstances. Accounts differ on the exact spot of the fall, with some outlets pointing to the bathroom and others to the kitchen.
Gupta entered the industry as a director with Aatish: Feel the Fire in 1994, starring Sanjay Dutt and Aditya Pancholi. The filmmaker went on to make Jung and Khauff in 2000, before delivering the title most associated with the career, Kaante, in 2002, a heist thriller shaped by Reservoir Dogs. Several more followed, among them Zinda (2006), Shootout at Lokhandwala (2007), Shootout at Wadala (2013), Jazbaa (2015), Kaabil (2017) and Mumbai Saga (2021).
Hrithik Roshan, who starred in Kaabil, looked back at their collaboration, paying tribute to Gupta and his passion as a filmmaker.
Sanjay Dutt featured in several of the director’s films, including Kaante and Zinda, though a rift kept the two apart for nearly eight years until the actor visited the Jazbaa sets in 2015. The actor also paid tribute following the death.
The cremation drew Manoj Bajpayee, Fardeen Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Rahul Dev, Rajpal Yadav, Rakesh Roshan, Harshvardhan Rane, Rajat Bedi, Meezaan Jafri and Naved Jaffrey, among other members of the film fraternity.
Anil Kapoor wrote on social media that Gupta would be missed and called the director a friend. Vivek Oberoi, who worked with Gupta on Shootout at Lokhandwala, extended condolences to the family and spoke fondly of their collaboration.