Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta, known for directing films such as Kaante, Shootout at Lokhandwala and Kaabil, has died at 57. After his sudden death, the film industry paid emotional tributes to the director.
Celebs Pay Tributes
Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit confirmed the news on Instagram. He wrote, “It’s really shocking and sad. Just got the news that our dear friend, an ace director @_sanjaygupta, is no more. He passed due to a head injury at home. Another talent gone too soon. He was a wonderful narrator, a full-of-life person, and a passionate filmmaker. A great loss to our industry. Will miss you, my friend. Condolences to his family & dear ones. Om Shaanti.”
Tusshar Kapoor wrote on X, “Woke up to sad news about the unfortunate and sudden demise of my beloved director @_SanjayGupta …life is so unpredictable, though this man was a lesson learned in living life to the fullest! My deepest condolences to his family, RIP sir!”
Woke up to sad news about the unfortunate and sudden demise of my beloved director @_SanjayGupta …life is so unpredictable, though this man was a lesson learned in living life to the fullest! My deepest condolences to his family, RIP sir!
— Tusshar (@TusshKapoor) October 31, 2026
Resul Pookutty wrote, “What terrible and shocking news for me personally and our friends and family… This is not a way to go…. 25 Years of working together…I’m still not able to process this… Your love for cinema was unparalleled…we will miss you, one of the sanest voices from mainstream Hindi cinema… May your soul #restineternalpeace #ripsanjaygupta.”
Kajol shared a picture of the filmmaker on her Instagram handle on Saturday and said the news of Gupta’s demise was “heartbreaking”. “Sending love and immense strength to the family through this loss. Rest in peace,” she wrote.
Sanjay Dutt shared a series of pictures alongside the filmmaker with whom he has collaborated on films such as “Aatish: Feel the Fire” and “Kaante”, among others.
“Gupts, my brother. I still cannot believe that you are gone. We have shared so much together, so many memories and so many years of friendship. You have always been family to me, and that will never change,” he wrote.
Dutt recalled his discussion about Kaante 2 with the filmmaker and said he will make the film in his memory.
“I will miss you, our conversations and all the times we spent together. We were just discussing ‘Kante 2’ recently, I will make ‘Kaante 2’ your dream, in memory of you my brother, I will do everything for this dream of yours to come true, love you forever and always. Life will not be the same without you, brother,” he added.
Tandon said, “Shocked to hear the shocking news of the untimely passing od dar Gups. Really saddened #sanjaygupta.”
Anupam Kher said Gupta was a “filmmaker with a distinctive style and an enormous love for cinema”.
“Woke up in Stockholm to the heartbreaking news of my friend and director Sanjay Gupta. You could ask him practically anything about movies, and a conversation with him would remind you how much he loved the world he belonged to. His passion came through in his social media posts too, where, of late, he had been expressing himself so openly. I worked with him in two films. But he also holds a special place in our family’s journey. He was Sikandar’s first director,” he wrote.
Kher said he was an “encyclopedia of films”. “Kher saab, we must work together!”
That was almost always his opening line whenever we met. He said it when I last met him, about a year ago. We always think there will be time. Another meeting. Another conversation. Another film. It hurts to know that this one will remain unfinished.
I remember his warmth, his affection, and a lovely Holi party at his home few years back,” he added.
Hansal Mehta shared a picture alongside Gupta on his Instagram handle along with a note and said they went through many lows and highs together. “Not done, bro. Sanjay Gupta. Gups. My only boss in the film industry, perhaps. But more than that, a dear friend. We went through many lows and many highs together, and through all of it we shared a love for the good things in life,” he wrote.
“My first and only Rolex came from him. Today it’s the one memory of him I carry on my wrist, and I don’t think I’ll ever take it off. He held my hand when I was at my lowest. We didn’t exactly create magic together, but the time itself was an absolute blast…
“I watched some of the best films of my life in his theatre. I borrowed some of the best books I’ve read from his shelves. My bro code began with you, Sanjay. And now it is ended,” he added.
Kunal Kohli said, “Don’t know how to process this news. #SanjayGupta RIP. Chatted with him little over a month ago. We were both on an awards show jury couple of years ago – we were equally quick to have an argument & a laugh about it later. You had many more films and many years to go. Prayers and strength to the family,” in the post.
Dia Mirza, who has worked with Gupta on “Dus Kahaniyaan”, shared a picture of the filmmaker on her Instagram story and said she is grateful for their collaboration.
“Sanjay Gupta, I will always be grateful for the work we did together, the love, the respect and the support I got from you. RIP Gupta Saab. Deepest condolences to the family,” she wrote.
Neil Nitin Mukesh said he is “deeply saddened and shocked” by the death of Gupta. “A powerhouse filmmaker we all loved and respected. Gone far too soon. My heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones.”
Tusshar Kapoor uploaded a note on his X handle and said “Woke up to sad news about the unfortunate and sudden demise of my beloved director @_SanjayGupta,” he wrote.
“Life is so unpredictable, though this man was a lesson learned in living life to the fullest! My deepest condolences to his family, RIP sir,” he added.
“Deeply saddened by this tragic news. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” Madhur Bhandarkar said.
Kangana Ranaut shared a picture of the actor on her Instagram story as she remembered him. “Sanjay Gupta jis demise has sent shockwaves across the film industry, extremely sad and horrific news, have worked with him closely and what is unsettling is that he was not even unwell. Terrible,” she said.
Lyricist and poet Manoj Muntashir recalled his collaboration with the director. “We only worked together in two films, one of which was—’Kaabil’. In the time we spent together, I learned that Sanjay was not just an outstanding filmmaker, but also an incredible friend,” he wrote.
Navjot Gulati said Gupta was among the most “funny and full-of-life filmmakers”. “It is unbelievable that @_SanjayGupta is no more with us,” he wrote.
“Other than being a filmmaker who made many COOL movies, his insights on life and the business of movies were a thing of beauty. And a true blue cinephile. RIP Sir. Oopar Kisi Screening room mein milege,” he added.
Background
Sanjay Gupta fell in the kitchen around 2:30 pm and sustained a head injury. His wife and two sons were also present at home, but nobody initially realised what had happened. The circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear.
Gupta’s death marks the end of a filmmaking career that spanned several decades. He was particularly known for his collaborations with actor Sanjay Dutt, with whom he worked on films including Kaante (2002), Musafir (2004), Zinda (2006) and Shootout at Lokhandwala (2007).
The latter was based on the 1991 Lokhandwala Complex shootout, with Gupta serving as its director, producer and co-writer. He later returned to the crime genre with Shootout at Wadala (2013), another film inspired by real-life events.
Apart from crime dramas, Gupta explored different genres through projects such as Jazbaa (2015), starring Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and Kaabil (2017), featuring Hrithik Roshan and Yami Gautam. His other directorial ventures included the anthology film Dus Kahaniyaan (2007), Acid Factory (2009) and Mumbai Saga (2021), which starred John Abraham and Emraan Hashmi.
Sanjay Gupta’s Work As A Producer And Early Career
Gupta also made his mark as a producer through his banner, White Feather Films, which he founded in 2001. The production house backed several projects over the years.
His more recent films included The Miranda Brothers (2024), featuring Meezaan Jafri and Harshvardhan Rane, and Visfot (2024), starring Riteish Deshmukh and Fardeen Khan.
Before establishing himself as a filmmaker, Gupta worked in post-production and sound design. He also assisted director Pankaj Parashar on projects such as the television series Karamchand and the film Jalwa.
Throughout his career, Gupta developed a distinctive style of filmmaking, often incorporating stylised action sequences, crime-based storylines and urban settings. His work made him a familiar name in mainstream Hindi cinema.
