Producer-Director Prakash Mehra passes away

MUMBAI: Legendary Bollywood producer-director Prakash Mehra, who gave Amitabh Bachchan his first success with 'Zanjeer', passed away in a hospital here on Sunday, after prolonged illness.

The 69-year-old Mehra, who was hospitalised for last several days, breathed his last at 0750 hours. He died of pneumonia and multiple organ failure, hospital sources said.

Ironically, people came to know about Mehra's ill-health a fortnight ago, only after Bachchan visited him in the hospital and mentioned about it in his blog.

The Mehra-Bachchan duo, which began with 'Zanjeer' in early 70s, gave the industry seven movies of which six were mega-hits.

Their last movie together was 'Jadugar' in 1989 which was a flop.

The Director-actor duo hits include 'Muqaddar Ka Sikander', 'Laawaris', 'Namak Halal', 'Sharabi' and 'Hera Pheri' apart from 'Zanjeer'.