Mumbai, Oct 31: Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta, best known for directing Bollywood films such as Kaante and Shootout at Lokhandwala, passed away on Saturday at the age of 57.

Confirming the news, filmmaker Ashoke Pandit told ANI that Gupta died following a head injury sustained at his residence.

Pandit also took to Instagram to mourn the filmmaker’s sudden demise. In an emotional post, he described Gupta as an exceptionally talented director, a wonderful narrator and a passionate filmmaker who was full of life.

Calling his death a major loss to the film industry, Pandit extended his condolences to Gupta’s family and loved ones.

Gupta’s close friend Hanif Chunawala also expressed shock over his sudden demise and shared details of the incident.

Gupta was widely recognised for his distinctive filmmaking style and his contribution to Bollywood, particularly through crime dramas and action thrillers."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)