National Award winner and renowned director Pradeep Sarkar is, known for making sensitive and powerful films like 'Parineeta' and 'Mardaani,' passed away on Friday early morning at Lilavati hospital in Bandra, his wife Panchali informed. He was 67.

According to his wife, he suffered from viral fever on March 22. After giving him some medicines, his fever changed a little bit goes down but not completely. So he was taken to hospital. But by the time he reached the hospital, his vital started dropping. He was then put under ventilation in the ICU. He was diagnosed with pneumonia, and the infection attacked his lungs.

She also said he breathed his last between 3.10 am to 3.30 am at Lilavati hospital.

She also added according to doctors, he suffered from comorbidities that made his immunity weak. His blood pressure was also fluctuating. In July 2022, he suffered from Covid-19 disease, and since then, he has been quite weak.

According to his family, the director’s funeral rites will be performed at the Santacruz Crematorium today at 4 pm.

Many prominent Bollywood biggies like Ajay Devgn, Hansal Mehta, Manoj Bajpayee, Ashoke Pandit, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Nitu Chandra-Srivastava, and others mourned and paid tributes to Sarkar as the news broke out.

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Sarkar began his career in the commercial advertisement world before becoming a director. He made and wrote many creative ad scripts like Cadburys, Coke, and Horlicks. He gave a famous tagline for Cadburys: 'Pappu paas ho gaya'. He also directed several famous music videos. With the Film Parineeta in 2005, he made his directorial debut.

Pradeep Sarkar directed movies like Lafangey Parindey, Laaga Chunari Mein Daag, Mardaani, and many more over the years. Helicopter Eela, a 2018 movie with Kajol in the lead, was his last work as a director.