Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 2 (ANI): Sanjay Gupta's wife, Anuradha, on Monday issued a statement addressing the demise of the 'Kaante' director.
In her statement, she confirmed that Sanjay died due to a fatal head injury. She also appealed to the media to respect her family's privacy and give them the space they need to grieve, particularly by respecting their children's privacy and keeping them away from unnecessary media attention.
Her statement comes amid a viral video showing their daughter allegedly flashing her middle finger at paparazzi who were capturing her during the filmmaker's funeral.
"A part of our lives has been lost forever, and nothing can ever fill the void or make up for this loss. On behalf of our family, I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to all our family members, friends, Sanjay’s fans and our friends in the media for the love, condolences and strength you have extended to us during this difficult time. Sanjay suffered a fatal head injury in an accidental fall, which led to his untimely demise. Sanjay loved his family and children immensely," she wrote.
"Our children are adolescents who have suddenly lost their beloved father.
Having grown up away from the glare of the limelight and the intrusive nature of paparazzi culture, they were deeply distressed by the sudden intrusion into their privacy at such a difficult time. In their grief and anguish, some of their reactions may have been directed towards certain members of the media. I sincerely regret any hurt this may have caused.
I humbly request everyone to understand these reactions for what they truly are – the expressions of grieving children struggling to come to terms with an irreparable loss.
I request you to kindly excuse them, and appeal to everyone to delete any content that may leave lasting emotional scars on their young minds. Please allow them the privacy, compassion and space they need to grieve the loss of their father. With gratitude, Anuradha Lekhi Gupta," Anuradha's statement read.
The statement was posted by Sanjay's close friend and director Milap Zaveri on his Instagram handle.
Sanjay Gupta, known for directing films such as ‘Aatish’, ‘Kaante’, ‘Shootout at Lokhandwala’ and ‘Mumbai Saga’, passed away on October 30 after sustaining a head injury at his residence in Mumbai.
His last rites were performed at the Pawan Hans Crematorium in Mumbai on Saturday evening.
Several members of the film industry, including Abhishek Bachchan, Rakesh Roshan, Rajat Bedi, Harshvardhan Rane, Meezaan Jafri, Naved Jaffrey, Rahul Dev, Manoj Bajpayee, Rajpal Yadav and Fardeen Khan, attended the funeral. Actor Sanjay Dutt, who shared a long association with the filmmaker, also paid tribute to him.
Gupta was known for his work in action and crime thriller films.
His filmography included ‘Jung’, ‘Kaante’, ‘Shootout At Lokhandwala’, ‘Shootout At Wadala’, ‘Kaabil’ and ‘Mumbai Saga’.His last directorial venture was ‘The Miranda Brothers’, starring Harshvardhan Rane and Meezaan Jafri, which was released in 2024.
He was also associated with the film ‘Visfot’ as a producer, featuring Fardeen Khan and Riteish Deshmukh. (ANI)
