'It's like losing a family member', says Rani Mukerji on Pradeep Sarkar's demise

Reacting to filmmaker Pradeep Sarkar’s sudden demise, Bollywood star Rani Mukerji, who had worked with him in his 2007 ‘Laaga Chunari Mein Daag’ and 2014 ‘Mardaani’, said the director’s death this morning came as a shock as they had planned to meet soon.

Sarkar, best known for his 2005 directorial ‘Parineeta’, died at Lilavati hospital in suburban Bandra in Mumbai, his wife Panchali told PTI. He was 67.

Mukerji said she last spoke to Sarkar just a few days ago, when he had called to congratulate the actor for her latest movie ‘Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway’.

She said that she is “very, very shocked” by the news of Dada’s passing away. She had, in fact, spoken to him just the other day when she had recently gone to Amritsar, to the Golden Temple. He had called her to tell her about her film.

Mukherji recalled, “So we had a long chat, he was insisting to do a facetime call but that day the network was not good so I was unable to video call with him.”

The 45-year-old actor said in a statement that they were planning to meet this week when she got back but it is just so unexpected. “His wife (Panchali boudi) called me at 4 am when this happened, it is really sad and shocking that dada has passed away like this,” she said.

Also said: ‘Parineeta’ director Pradeep Sarkar dies at 67

Mukerji said Sarkar’s death is a great loss to his family as well as the film industry.

Further, she said, “He was also shooting these last few days so I don’t know how it all transpired in just a matter of a few hours. I’m sure everybody who knows Dada will feel his loss deeply the way I’m feeling it. I had a great connection with him, we’ve done a lot of work together over the years, so it’s literally like losing a family member.”

“My heart goes out to Boudi, Ronno and Raya as they were a very close-knit family and to all the people who worked in Dada’s production house and those who have been attached to him over the years. It’s going to be a great loss for them,” she added.

Mukerji said she is saddened that she could not meet the director before his demise.

“So, I’m really very saddened by this because I was meant to meet him soon so I feel terrible about it. You never realise how life is so unpredictable, you speak to a person and the next thing you know is that the person is not there,” she said.

However, she added that she will hold on to her last memory of him being so happy and excited for her, as he had called her to share the feedback that he was getting for her film and for her, from all over.

Actor Tahir Raj Bhasin, who got his big break with Sarkar’s ‘Mardaani’, said he will always remain grateful to the late filmmaker.

Also read: ‘Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway’: Real story of a mother that inspired Rani Mukerji film

“I will always remember him with eternal gratitude, as the man who trusted me with ‘Mardaani’. He was a maestro whose experience and guidance gave me the confidence to act to my fullest potential in my debut film,” the actor said in a statement.

Bhasin, 35, said Sarkar was like a mentor to him and gave him confidence to come up with his performance for the role of antagonist Karan “Walt” Rastogi in the movie. “He was a visionary par excellence, ahead of his time. He lives on in the films he created. May he rest in peace,” he added.