"The neighbours complained to the cops about a foul smell."
M M Baig was found dead at his residence in Andheri West following a report from concerned neighbours.
The veteran filmmaker was discovered by the police after a foul smell emanated from his flat. Officers forced entry into his home in the Millat Nagar area.
The Mumbai police have since moved the body to Cooper Hospital for a formal post-mortem examination.
This news has sent shockwaves through the Hindi film industry. Publicist Hanif Zaveri confirmed the tragic news to the media.
He noted that the director had been struggling with his health for some time.
Baig had also been living alone in his Mumbai apartment. Neighbours became worried when he did not leave his home for several days.
Zaveri said: “He was unwell for quite some time. Since he didn’t come out of the house for four to five days, the neighbours complained to the cops about a foul smell coming from his house.”
The authorities acted quickly upon arrival at the Al Marwah building. They managed to break the lock to access the premises.
He said: “The police opened the door and found Baig sahab’s dead body and informed his daughter about it.
“He was a loving man. I pray for his departed soul.”
M M Baig was a respected figure behind the scenes in Bollywood for many decades. He was the father of the famous 1980s child star Baby Guddu.
His daughter, whose real name is Shahinda Baig, currently works for Kuwait Airways.
She is expected to arrive in Mumbai to oversee the final rites. Her father was instrumental in her early career success.
The filmmaker himself had a long and varied career in Indian cinema. He is best known for directing the 1994 family drama Chhoti Bahu.
This film featured actress Shilpa Shirodkar in a leading role. He also directed an unreleased project titled Masoom Gawah which starred Naseeruddin Shah.
Throughout the 1980s, he worked as an assistant to several major directors. These included industry legends such as J Om Prakash and Rakesh Roshan.
M M Baig also played a quiet role in the training of modern superstars. He was known for his mastery of diction and dialogue delivery.
Hanif Zaveri recalled how the filmmaker helped a young Hrithik Roshan.
He said: “Baig sahab shared a warm equation with Rakesh Roshan sahab.
“He helped Hrithik Roshan with diction, voice modulation, and dialogues.”
“This was much before his debut film, Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai happened.”
He was also involved in the production of the historical epic Razia Sultan. His peers highly valued his technical expertise on set.
Colleagues remember him as a calm and supportive mentor to newcomers. He contributed to the success of films like Souten and Dost Garibon Ka.
Many veterans have expressed their grief over the lonely circumstances of his passing.
The police are currently waiting for the post-mortem results to confirm M M Baig’s cause of death.
They do not suspect any foul play at this stage of the investigation.
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