COVID-19: Veteran Bollywood producer Anil Suri dies at 77

Mumbai: Bollywood producer Anil Suri, who had backed films like Raaj Kumar-Rekha starrer Karmayogi and Raaj Tilak, passed away due to coronavirus on Thursday. He was 77.

Anil’s brother, film producer Rajiv Suri, said he had fever on June 2 but his condition worsened the next day with breathlessness.

“He was rushed to the top hospitals, Lilavati and Hinduja, but both denied him a bed,” Rajiv claimed.

“He was then taken to Advanced Multispeciality Hospital on Wednesday night. He had COVID-19. On Thursday evening, they said something is amiss and he was put on ventilator. He died around 7:00 pm,” Rajiv told PTI.

Last rites of Anil were held on Friday morning at Oshiwara cremation ground with four close family members attending it wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Besides Rajiv, Anil is survived by two children and wife.

Rajiv, who had produced Basu Chatterjee’s 1979 film Manzil, featuring Amitabh Bachchan and Moushumi Chatterjee, said it was heartbreaking to lose one of his favourite directors and brother on the same day.