Highlights
- Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta, known for directing Kaante, Shootout at Lokhandwala and Zinda, died on October 30, 2026.
- He reportedly suffered a fall in his kitchen at around 2.30 pm and sustained a head injury.
- Gupta was known for his collaborations with Sanjay Dutt and his crime dramas in Hindi cinema.
Bollywood filmmaker Sanjay Gupta, best known for directing films such as Kaante, Shootout at Lokhandwala and Zinda, has died at the age of 59. He passed away on October 30, 2026, according to Film Information.
Reports state that Gupta fell in the kitchen of his home at around 2.30 pm and sustained a head injury. His wife and two sons were also at home, but they reportedly did not initially realise what had happened. The circumstances surrounding the incident have not yet been fully established.
His death marks the end of a filmmaking career spanning several decades, during which he became known for his stylised action sequences, crime stories and collaborations with some of Hindi cinema’s biggest stars.
Sanjay Gupta’s collaborations with Sanjay Dutt
Gupta shared a notable creative partnership with actor Sanjay Dutt, directing him in several films, including Kaante (2002), Musafir (2004), Zinda (2006) and Shootout at Lokhandwala (2007).
The latter was based on the 1991 Lokhandwala Complex shootout, with Gupta serving as its director, producer and co-writer. He revisited the crime genre with Shootout at Wadala (2013), another film inspired by real-life events.
Beyond crime dramas, Gupta explored different genres with films such as Jazbaa (2015), starring Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and Kaabil (2017), featuring Hrithik Roshan and Yami Gautam.
His other directorial projects included the anthology film Dus Kahaniyaan (2007), Acid Factory (2009) and Mumbai Saga (2021), which starred John Abraham and Emraan Hashmi.
His work as a producer and early career
Gupta also established himself as a producer through his banner, White Feather Films, which he founded in 2001. The production house backed several projects over the years.
His more recent films included The Miranda Brothers (2024), featuring Meezaan Jafri and Harshvardhan Rane, and Visfot (2024), starring Riteish Deshmukh and Fardeen Khan.
Before becoming a filmmaker, Gupta worked in post-production and sound design. He also assisted director Pankaj Parashar on projects including the television series Karamchand and the film Jalwa.
Over the years, Gupta developed a distinctive filmmaking style, often combining stylised action, crime-driven narratives and urban settings. His films, particularly his collaborations with Sanjay Dutt, secured his place in mainstream Hindi cinema.
