Filmmaker Milap Zaveri broke down in tears at the prayer meet of his mentor and 'godfather', late director Sanjay Gupta, held in Mumbai on 4 November 2026, recalling how Gupta had entrusted him with writing the cult film 'Kaante' when he was just 21 years old. The gathering brought together close friends, family, and members of the film fraternity to pay tribute to the filmmaker who passed away on 30 October 2026 at the age of 59 following an accidental fall at his Versova residence.

Milap Zaveri's emotional tribute

Visibly overwhelmed and teary-eyed, Milap Zaveri addressed the gathering with words that drew an audible response from those present. He opened by reflecting on what Sanjay Gupta meant to him personally, describing the late filmmaker as far more than a professional mentor.

'Guruji, he was always Guruji for me. I was 21 years old and he gave me 'Kaante'. Anu, for 25 years, you always told me, 'You write the corniest lines for my husband. You write the cheesiest lines for him.' Anu, today I have to say something,' Zaveri said, addressing Gupta's wife Anuradha Lekhi Gupta directly.

He then recited lines he had composed as a final tribute: 'Jo kisi ke aage nahi jhukta tha, jo mohabbat dene se nahi rukta tha, woh Sanjay Gupta tha.' He continued, 'He was my father. He was my godfather, my father. I loved him to bits. Aur Baadshah ki gali mein aake uska pata nahi poochte.'

Zaveri closed his remarks with an emotional farewell: 'He's here, he's not anywhere. Yeh zinda hai hum sabke dil mein. I love you, Gups. I love you, Anu. Sorry.'

Social media tribute and Anuradha's acknowledgement

Milap Zaveri later shared a video from the prayer meet on his social media account alongside a written note. He wrote: 'Thank You @anuradhalekhigupta for allowing me the honour and chance to pay a small tribute to Gups with these lines. For 25 years you told me I write cheesy and corny lines for him. This was the last time. But he is a 'Badshah' who will always be 'Zinda' in our hearts.'

Notably, the lines Zaveri composed for Gupta drew directly on the titles of films — 'Zinda' and 'Kaante' — that the director had made iconic, adding a layer of poetic resonance to the tribute.

The prayer meet: fraternity gathers

Actor Rohit Roy anchored the prayer meet and was himself visibly emotional as one tribute followed another. Anuradha Lekhi Gupta and the couple's children — son Shivansh and daughter Dalai — were seated in the front row, holding back tears as colleagues and collaborators spoke about Gupta's legacy and personal generosity. The same children had lit the funeral pyre at the Versova crematorium during the last rites performed on 31 October 2026.

How Sanjay Gupta died

Sanjay Gupta passed away on 30 October 2026 at the age of 59, following an accidental fall at his Versova home in Mumbai. According to preliminary police findings, he reportedly lost his balance in the kitchen area and sustained a severe head injury. As family members were asleep at the time, the incident came to light the following morning, and he was rushed to Cooper Hospital, where he was declared dead.

A legacy built on bold cinema

Sanjay Gupta was widely recognised for directing and producing films that pushed the boundaries of mainstream Hindi commercial cinema. His filmography included 'Kaante' (2002), 'Musafir', 'Zinda', 'Shootout at Wadala', 'Jazbaa', 'Kaabil', and 'Mumbai Saga'. His sudden death at 59 shocked the film fraternity, with collaborators remembering not just his creative boldness but his personal warmth. The prayer meet underscored how deep and lasting those bonds were — none more so than the one with the writer he trusted with his very first major script, more than two decades ago.