Writer-director Milap Zaveri paid an emotional tribute to late filmmaker Sanjay Gupta, recalling how he would feel 'petrified' every time he narrated his dialogues to the director — because Gupta's approval meant everything to him. The heartfelt post, shared on Instagram, surfaced days after Sanjay Gupta's passing on 30 October 2026, and has drawn an outpouring of emotion from the film fraternity.

The Instagram Post That Said It All

In his post, Milap referred to Sanjay Gupta as his 'Guruji' — a term of deep reverence — and described how he would 'ambush' the filmmaker with punchlines at every opportunity, regardless of the occasion. 'My Guruji. The only man i used to be petrified of while narrating to. Coz i wanted him to love every single dialogue i ever wrote for him. That's how much his validation mattered to me,' he wrote.

He went on to add a poignant wish: 'Every dialogue i will ever write again I'll still wait for your validation. If you hear it in heaven please give me a sign if you like it.' The accompanying photograph shows Sanjay Gupta laughing as Milap speaks, a moment Zaveri called proof that he had 'done something right.' The post also tagged actor Sanjay Dutt and Gupta's wife Anuradha Maripoza.

A Bond Forged Over 25 Years

The depth of their association traces back over two and a half decades. Milap recalled that Sanjay Gupta gave him his first major break at 21 years of age, entrusting him with the dialogue writing for the crime thriller 'Kaante'. Speaking at Gupta's prayer meet, a visibly emotional Zaveri described the filmmaker as not just a mentor but a father figure. 'He was my father. He was my godfather, my father. I loved him to bits,' he said.

Milap also recalled a long-running affectionate tease from Anuradha Maripoza, who would tell him over the years, 'You write the corniest lines for my husband. You write the cheesiest lines for him.' At the prayer meet, he addressed her directly — a moment that moved those present to tears.

Tribute at the Prayer Meet

At the prayer gathering, Milap delivered a tribute that blended cinematic flair with raw grief, drawing on the very dialogue style Gupta had nurtured in him. He recited: 'Jo kisi ke aage nahi jhukta tha, jo mohabbat dene se nahi rukta tha, woh Sanjay Gupta tha.' He closed with a simple, repeated declaration of love, breaking down as he spoke.

Witnesses described him as visibly moved and teary-eyed throughout. The tribute underscored how profoundly the filmmaker shaped Zaveri's voice as a writer — a voice that now grapples with creating without the man who first believed in it.

About Sanjay Gupta

Veteran filmmaker Sanjay Gupta passed away on 30 October 2026, aged 59, following an accidental fall at his residence in Mumbai. Known for directing films such as 'Kaante', 'Shootout at Lokhandwala', and 'Shootout at Wadala', Gupta was a defining voice in Mumbai's crime-thriller genre and a mentor to several prominent industry talents. His death has prompted widespread mourning across Bollywood.