Film producer Anil Suri dies of Covid-19, brother says he was denied bed in top hospitals

Bollywood producer Anil Suri, who had backed films like Raaj Kumar-Rekha starrer Karmayogi and Raaj Tilak, passed away due to coronavirus on Thursday. He was 77. Anil’s brother, film producer Rajiv Suri, said he had fever on June 2 but his condition worsened the next day with breathlessness.

“He was rushed to the top hospitals, Lilavati and Hinduja, but both denied him a bed,” Rajiv claimed. “He was then taken to Advanced Multispeciality Hospital on Wednesday night. He had COVID-19. On Thursday evening, they said something is amiss and he was put on ventilator. He died around 7:00 pm,” Rajiv told PTI.

Last rites of Anil were held on Friday morning at Oshiwara cremation ground with four close family members attending it wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Besides Rajiv, Anil is survived by two children and wife.

Rajiv, who had produced Basu Chatterjee’s 1979 film Manzil featuring Amitabh Bachchan and Moushumi Chatterjee, said it was heartbreaking to lose one of his favourite directors and brother on the same day. Chatterjee breathed his last on Thursday morning.

Chatterjee, known for his relatable, light as soufflé brand of cinema with films such as Rajnigandha and Chitchor, died following age related health issues. He was 93. Chatterjee, who is survived by his daughters Sonali Bhattacharya and Rupali Guha, died in his sleep at his Santacruz residence.

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“He passed away peacefully in his sleep in the morning. He hadn’t been keeping well for quite a while due to old age problems and died at his residence. It’s a great loss for the film industry,” Ashoke Pandit, president of the Indian Film & Television Directors’ Association (IFTDA), told PTI.

The last rites of the filmmaker, who blazed a middle-of-the-road trail in the 1970s and 1980s, were performed at the Santacruz crematorium. “Only family members were present... around 10 people, including both the daughters and sons-in-law. I was there because I wanted to be part of his journey,” Pandit said.

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