Filmmaker Partho Ghosh passes away at 75

Veteran filmmaker Partho Ghosh, known for directing some of Hindi cinema’s most memorable films from the 1990s, has passed away at the age of 75. He suffered a heart attack on Monday morning at his residence in Mumbai’s Madh Island.

The news of his demise was confirmed by actor Rituparna Sengupta, who shared a heartfelt tribute to the director. Ghosh is survived by his wife, Gouri Ghosh.

An emotional goodbye

As reported by India Today, actor Rituparna Sengupta expressed her sorrow in a touching message, “Heartbroken beyond words. We have lost an exceptional talent, a visionary director, and a kind soul. Partho da, you will always be remembered for the magic you created on screen. Rest in peace.”

A humble start to a noteworthy career

Partho Ghosh began his film journey in 1985 as an assistant director. With time, hard work and talent, he made his mark in Bollywood, especially in the thriller and drama genres. His big break came in 1991 with ‘100 Days’, a suspense film starring Jackie Shroff and Madhuri Dixit. The story, centred around a woman with extrasensory perception, was a remake of the Tamil film ‘Nooravathu Naal’, which was itself based on Italian cinema.In 1992, Ghosh directed ‘Geet’, a romantic film featuring Divya Bharti and Avinash Wadhawan. However, it was ‘Dalaal’ in 1993 that firmly established his place in the industry. Starring Mithun Chakraborty and Ayesha Jhulka, and based on a short story by Kaushal Bharati, the film became one of the top earners of the year.

Its perfect mix of drama, action and emotion struck a chord with audiences.Three years later, Ghosh delivered the critically acclaimed ‘Agni Sakshi’ (1996), featuring Nana Patekar, Jackie Shroff and Manisha Koirala. A tense psychological drama, the film dealt with serious themes and was both a commercial and critical success. It remains one of his most remembered works.Partho Ghosh was not limited to one style.

Over his career, he directed more than 15 films across different genres. His 1994 film ‘Teesra Kaun?’, a murder mystery, was adapted from the Malayalam film ‘No. 20 Madras Mail’. He followed it with ‘Ghulam-E-Musthafa’ (1997), a gangster drama, and ‘Yugpurush’ (1998), a film that explored human emotions through unique characters. In 2010, he returned with ‘Ek Second… Jo Zindagi Badal De?’, a thought-provoking film about how a single second can change the course of life.After a short break from films, Ghosh made a return in 2018 with ‘Mausam Ikrar Ke Do Pal Pyaar Ke’. The romantic drama starred Mukesh J Bharti, Madalsa Sharma and Avinash Wadhawan. Though it didn’t create the same buzz as his earlier hits, the film reflected his ongoing love for storytelling.