'Shootout at Lokhandwala' director Sanjay Gupta passes away at 57

Confirming the news of his demise, filmmaker Ashoke Pandit told ANI that Gupta died on Saturday after sustaining a head injury at his residence.

Ashoke Pandit also shared the news of Gupta's demise on his Instagram account.

In a post, Pandit wrote, "Its really shocking and sad. Just got the news that our dear friend an ace director @_sanjaygupta is no more. He passed due to a head injury at home. Another talent gone too soon. He was a wonderful narrator, full of life persona and a passionate filmmaker. A great loss to our industry. Will miss you my friend. Condolences to his family and dear ones. Om Shaanti."

https://www.instagram.com/p/DfJbgXBoIqr/?hl=en

Sanjay Gupta's close friend Hanif Chunawala also expressed shock over his sudden demise, sharing details of the incident.

"He fell in the kitchen last night and sustained a head injury. Unfortunately, he passed away. We are in shock," Hanif shared.

Sanjay Gupta was quite active on social media, particularly on X, where he frequently shared his opinions on various issues concerning the film industry.

On the professional front, his last directorial venture was The Miranda Brothers, starring Harshvardhan Rane and Meezaan Jafri, which was released in 2024. As a producer, he also came up with 'Visfot', featuring Fardeen Khan and Riteish Deshmukh.

Before that, he directed Mumbai Saga (2021), starring John Abraham and Emraan Hashmi in lead roles.

However, Gupta was widely recognised for directing crime dramas such as 'Shootout at Lokhandwala' and 'Kaante', which established his presence in the crime thriller genre. His other directorial ventures included 'Kaabil' and 'Shootout at Wadala'.

Known for his work in action and crime-based films, Gupta made a significant contribution to Hindi cinema through his distinctive storytelling and films centred on crime, action and drama.

More details regarding his demise are awaited. (ANI)