Sanjay Gupta, director of Kaante and Kaabil, dies at 57: Reports

Dubai: Bollywood filmmaker Sanjay Gupta, known for directing Kaante, Kaabil and Shootout at Wadala, has died, according to reports by Filmfare and Bollywood Hungama.

Filmfare announced the news in a social media post. Bollywood Hungama also reported his passing on October 31, saying the cause of death had not been made public and further details from his family and close associates were awaited.

Gupta’s career spanned more than three decades, encompassing directing, producing and screenwriting. He made his directorial debut with Aatish in 1994, starring Sanjay Dutt and Aditya Pancholi, beginning an association with action films and crime stories that would run through much of his work.

Among his best-known films was the 2002 heist thriller Kaante, featuring Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Suniel Shetty, Mahesh Manjrekar, Lucky Ali and Kumar Gaurav. The ensemble film became closely associated with Gupta’s stylised approach to action and storytelling.

His directing credits also included Ram Shastra, Hameshaa, Jung, Khauff, Musafir and Zinda. The films reflected a sustained interest in thrillers, with stories built around crime, revenge and conflicted protagonists.

Gupta was a producer on Shootout at Lokhandwala in 2007. He subsequently directed Shootout at Wadala, released in 2013, returning to the subject of Mumbai’s underworld.

In 2015, he directed Jazbaa, starring Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Irrfan Khan. He followed it with the Hrithik Roshan-led revenge thriller Kaabil in 2017. Mumbai Saga, another crime drama, was released in March 2021. His filmography brought together prominent Hindi film stars across several generations, with thrillers forming a recurring part of his directing career.

Details of the circumstances surrounding his death and funeral arrangements were not available in the reports reviewed at the time of writing. Further information from his family is awaited.