Filmmaker Pradeep Sarkar died at the age of 68 in the wee hours of Friday. The filmmaker was reportedly on dialysis and his potassium levels dropped drastically. Sarkar passed away at a hospital where he was taken at around 3 am. Songwriter and actor Swanand Kirkire, superstar Ajay Devgn and Aligarh director Hansal Mehta paid their last respects to the departed soul.
Swanand Kirkire remembered Sarkar for his passion of cinema. Kirkire wrote, “Film maker and dearest friend Pradeep Sarkar the mad man left us this morning. Rest in peace Dada your passion for the art of cinema will stay in your works! Duniya bhar ki mitti ikatthi karte the ab jannat ki mitti dibiya mein bharna. Thank you for loving me and my words (sic).”
Ajay Devgn wrote, “The news of Pradeep Sarkar’s demise, ‘Dada’ to some of us is still hard to digest. My deepest condolences (sic). My prayers are with the departed and his family. RIP Dada.
Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit reminisced Sarkar as a brilliant filmmaker. Pandit tweeted, “Sad to know that well-known, brilliant filmmaker of our country Pradeep Sarkar ji passes away. A great loss to the film industry. Heartfelt condolences to his family and near ones. Om Shanti (sic).”
TV producer Siddhartha Basu, known for Kaun Banega Crorepati and India’s Got Talent, remembered Sarkar as a gentle and generous friend. Basu tweeted, “Very sad news. A visualiser par excellence and obsessive workaholic, Pradeep was an early creative collaborator, a gentle and generous friend with whom I worked on numerous projects from the mid 80s onwards. He will be missed.”
Film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh also extended his condolences to the bereaved family. Adarsh wrote, “Heartbreaking indeed… Pradeep Sarkar ji- director of Parineeta, Mardaani and Helicopter Eela- has passed away… Heartfelt condolences to his family… Om Shanti (sic)”
Sarkar made his directorial debut with the Vidya Balan and Saif Ali Khan-starrer Parineeta. Sarkar got the Zee Cine Award for Most Promising Director, Guild Award for Best Debut Director, IIFA Award for Best Screenplay, and Filmfare Award for Best Art Direction for Parineeta.
He is also known for films like Kajol’s Helicopter Eela, Rani Mukerji’s films Laaga Chunari Mein Daag and Mardaani, and Neil Nitin Mukesh and Deepika Padukone-starrer Lafangey Parindey.
