Hyderabad: Pritish Nandy, a multi-talented personality who effortlessly wore many hats, has passed away. A poet, painter, film producer, talk-show host, editor, and passionate animal lover, Nandy's death has left a void in both the literary and entertainment worlds. The Padma Shri awardee breathed his last on January 8 at his South Mumbai residence, at the age of 73. His death has triggered an outpouring of tributes from friends, family, and the world of cinema. Celebrities from Bollywood, including Kareena Kapoor Khan, Anil Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, and filmmaker Hansal Mehta, have expressed their sorrow.
As celebrities reminisce about their fondest memories with Nandy, a few common personality traits of his are emerging in all the tributes that have been pouring in since his passing. Described as the "youngest guy in the room" and a shining example of "Yaaron Ka Yaar," condolences are flooding in as celebrities mourn his loss. The most frequently mentioned qualities in all the tributes are his warmth, fearlessness, creative brilliance, and being a man of his word. These are the traits that everyone remembers him for, as they reflect on his life, which they see as a life truly well lived.
Kareena, who worked with Nandy on the 2004 film Chameli, shared her tribute on Instagram, posting behind-the-scenes images from the sets. The pictures, which show a candid moment between Kareena and Nandy, were accompanied by a simple but heartfelt message.
Sudhir Mishra, the director of Chameli, also took to X (formerly Twitter) to reflect on how Nandy profoundly influenced his life and career. He recalled how the producer was instrumental in shaping the iconic Hazaaron Khwahishen Aisi, and shared a message expressing regret at not being able to bring forth a sequel, a task Nandy had encouraged.
Pritish Nandy changed my life . Only he could Hazaaron Khwahishen Aisi . He taught me so much . I am so sorry Pritish Da . I couldn’t come up with an idea for the sequel .
— Sudhir Mishra (@IAmSudhirMishra) January 8, 2025
Actor Sayani Gupta, who worked with Nandy on Four More Shots Please!, penned an emotional tribute to the director. She described him as "the youngest guy in the room" with a magnetic presence, a sharp intellect, and an unwavering love for conversation. Gupta celebrated his vision and strength in creating iconic women characters that will forever be etched in Indian cinema. She also reflected on how deeply Nandy felt the passing of his dear friend, industrialist Ratan Tata, and conveyed her deep sense of loss following Nandy's death.
Anil Kapoor was equally moved by the loss of his dear friend. He wrote of Nandy's integrity, bravery, and fearlessness in his professional and personal life. "Shocked and heartbroken by the loss of my dear friend Pritish Nandy. A fearless editor, a brave soul, and a man of his word, he embodied integrity like no other," wrote Kapoor in his tribute.
Shocked and heartbroken by the loss of my dear friend Pritish Nandy. A fearless editor, a brave soul, and a man of his word, he embodied integrity like no other. pic.twitter.com/kMX9nnRjfD
— Anil Kapoor (@AnilKapoor) January 8, 2025
Sanjay Dutt, who featured in Nandy's productions Kaante and Shabd, called him a "creative genius" and praised his kind nature. Filmmaker Hansal Mehta also paid his respects, describing Nandy as a patron of personal work and an important part of his journey.
A true creative genius and a kind soul, you will be missed sir. #PritishNandy 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/NKZQ4ITaEm
— Sanjay Dutt (@duttsanjay) January 8, 2025
Anupam Kher, another close friend of Nandy, confirmed the news of his demise due to cardiac arrest. In a heartfelt post on X, Kher reminisced about their deep friendship, recounting how Nandy was a pillar of support during his early days in Mumbai. Kher also spoke of Nandy's larger-than-life personality and shared a fond memory of how Nandy once put him on the cover of The Illustrated Weekly, a gesture that captured Nandy's fearless and generous spirit.
Deeply deeply saddened and shocked to know about the demise of one of my dearest and closest friends #PritishNandy! Amazing poet, writer, filmmaker and a brave and unique editor/journalist! He was my support system and a great source of strength in my initial days in Mumbai. We… pic.twitter.com/QYshTlFNd2
— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) January 8, 2025
Pritish Nandy's life was rich with accomplishments and creativity. Born in Bhagalpur, Bihar, to a Bengali family, his work spanned across journalism, politics, and entertainment. A member of the Rajya Sabha, Nandy served Maharashtra as part of the Shiv Sena. His career in media was also marked by the popular talk show The Pritish Nandy Show, which aired on Doordarshan in the 1990s, where he interviewed some of the biggest names in cinema.
As a film producer, Nandy's productions, such as Kaante, Jhankaar Beats, Chameli, and Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, gained critical and commercial success. His production house, Pritish Nandy Communications, went on to create significant works in OTT as well, including Four More Shots Please! and Modern Love Mumbai.
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