Sanjay Gupta, the Indian filmmaker known for his gritty crime dramas, died on Friday, October 30, at the age of 57. His passing follows a fall at his residence in Mumbai, according to local police reports.
Mumbai police registered an accidental death report after Gupta slipped in the kitchen of his home on Friday night. Authorities stated that he sustained a serious head injury and later succumbed to his injuries. No foul play is suspected in the incident.
Confirmation and Career
Fellow director Milap Zaveri confirmed the death to the Press Trust of India. Zaveri also verified the details regarding the fall that led to Gupta’s death. The Free Press Journal reported the police findings, noting the accidental nature of the event.
Gupta built his reputation on neo-noir underworld thrillers. He directed the 2002 heist film Kaante and the 2013 action movie Shootout at Wadala. He also wrote the screenplay for the 2007 film Shootout at Lokhandwala. His work often featured actor Sanjay Dutt, with whom he collaborated frequently.
Through his production company, White Feather Films, Gupta produced several projects including Acid Factory. He was born in Mumbai on October 23, 1969, though some sources list his birth year as 1967, which would make him 59 at the time of his death.
Controversy and Legacy
Gupta’s career was marked by both commercial success and accusations of plagiarism. His film Kaante drew significant comparisons to Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs. Tarantino publicly addressed the similarities during the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles in 2007.
“I think it was fabulous,” Tarantino said. “Of the many rip-offs, I loved Hong Kong’s Too Many Ways to Be No 1 and this one, Kaante. The best part is, you have Indian guys coming to the US and looting a US bank. How cool is that! I was truly honoured. And these guys are played by legends of Bollywood.”
Gupta was known for borrowing elements from various media to create his own work. This approach often sparked debate about originality in his films. Despite the controversies, his films remain notable examples of Indian crime cinema.
He is survived by his wife, Anuradha Lekhi Gupta, and their two children, Shivaansh Gupta and Dalai Gupta.
Source: Deadline
