“He passed away peacefully.”
Veteran Bollywood writer and director Sagar Sarhadi has passed away at the age of 87.
According to local media, Sarhadi died at his home in Mumbai on Monday, March 22, 2021.
After migrating to Delhi from Pakistan during the Partition when he was 12, Sarhadi began his career writing Urdu short stories.
His gate into Bollywood was opened by writing the 1976 film Kabhi Kabhie, starring Amitabh Bachchan and Raakhee.
The writer also collaborated with Yash Chopra to create 1981’s Silsila and 1989’s Chandni.
Turning to a directorial role in 1982, Sarhadi oversaw the creation of Bazaar. However, he never strayed far from writing.
Sarhadi is also responsible for the dialogue in Shah Rukh Khan’s film debut Deewana (1992), as well as Hrithik Roshan’s Kaho Na Pyaar Kai (2000).
Sagar Sarhadi took his last breath at his Mumbai residence, according to his filmmaker nephew Ramesh Talwar.
Talwar said:
“He passed away shortly before midnight. He wasn’t keeping well for sometime and had even stopped eating.
“He passed away peacefully.”
Tributes have been pouring in from the Bollywood industry since the news of Sagar Sarhadi’s passing broke.
Bollywood actress Shabana Azmi paid a heartfelt tribute to Sarhadi on Twitter.
Deeply sorry at the passing away of #Sagar Sarhadi.He will be remembered by his work both in theatre n films notable amongst them #Tanhaii n #Bazaar.He drew his inspiration from life travelled by bus n train bcoz he was a writer of d masses.We at IPTA have lost a family member. pic.twitter.com/ifR0LY9cJt
— Azmi Shabana (@AzmiShabana) March 22, 2021
Alongside an image of the late writer and director, she said:
“Deeply sorry at the passing away of #Sagar Sarhadi. He will be remembered by his work both in theatre n films notable amongst them #Tanhaii n #Bazaar.
“He drew his inspiration from life travelled by bus and train because he was a writer of the masses.
“We at IPTA have lost a family member.”
Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui also took to social media to pay respects to Sarhadi.
https://twitter.com/Nawazuddin_S/status/1373948337372553219
He tweeted:
“His Rhythmic writing and his Poetic style Direction have inspired many including me.
“It was a pleasure to have worked with #SagarSarhadi Saahab in an unreleased film and witnessing his finesse first hand.
“Rest In Peace.”
Sagar Sarhadi directed Nawazuddin Siddiqui for his last directorial Chausar, which was released in 2018.
However, Siddiqui also has fond memories of Sarhadi’s literary knowledge.
Speaking to National Herald India, Siddiqui said:
“The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Sagar Sarhadi Saab is books.
“When I had gone to his house in Sion for the first time the entire large house was filled with shelves of books in every room.
“I had seen so many books only at the NSD library in Delhi. I couldn’t imagine any individual would possess so many books.
“Sagar Saab was a well-read, learned articulate writer.
“The dialogues that he wrote for Bazaar which he directed, give me goosebumps even today when I think about them.
“Not too many people saw Chausar the film which he directed with me in the lead.
“But I’m very proud to have worked with one of the finest minds of India and Indian cinema.”
Javed Akhtar, Ashoke Pandit and Anubhav Sinha also paid tribute to the late writer.
According to Ramesh Talwar, his uncle’s last rites will be read at the crematorium in Sion.
Sagar Sarhadi is survived by his nieces and nephews.
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