Hrishida no more

MUMBAI: Veteran film maker Hrishikesh Mukherjee, who made directed several memorable movies including “Anand” that launched Amitabh Bachchan on the path to superstardom, died here at a hospital here on Sunday following portracted illness. He was 84.

Mukherjee was admitted to the Leelavati hospital in June in critical condition following chronic renal failure, pneumonia and spesis, hospital sources said, He had been coming to the hospital regularly for dialysis. The end came at 4.30 pm.

Mukherjee’s funeral is likely to be held on Monday or Tuesday on return of his son from the United States. Mukherjee directed many a blockbuster Hindi movie, regaling the audience with his typical `Hrishida’ touch.

He won the coveted Dadasaheb Phalke award and Padmavibhushan. Some of his memorable films include “Anand”, starring Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh among others, “Abhimaan”, featuring Amitabh and Jaya Bhaduri, “Chupke Chupke” with Amitabh, Jaya and Dharmendra in the cast and “Khubsoorat starring Rekha.

Having done apprenticeship under legendary Bimal Roy, Mukherjee started his career with “Musafir” in 1957 and his last work was “Jhooth Bole Kauwa Kaate” starring Anil Kapoor and Juhi Chawla, released in 1998.

In a career spanning over half a century, Mukherjee gave cinema lovers some memorable films like ‘Anand’, which brought to the centre stage Bollywood’s future superstar Amitabh Bachchan, ‘Anuradha’, ‘Chupke Chupke’, ‘Bawarchi’, ‘Guddi’ and ‘Rajnigandha’. All these films have become milestones in Indian cinema.