Prayag Raj, a seasoned screenwriter best known for his work on the blockbuster successes “Amar Akbar Anthony,” “Naseeb,” and “Coolie” starring Amitabh Bachchan, passed away as a result of age-related ailments. He was 88. The author died suddenly on Saturday night at his Bandra home, according to his son Aditya.
“He died peacefully on Saturday at 4 o’clock at his Bandra home. Since eight to ten years ago, he had a number of illnesses, including heart disease and age-related problems, Aditya told PTI. Raj, who wrote the screenplays for Bachchan’s “Naseeb,” “Suhaag,” “Coolie,” and “Mard,” is known for his work on more over 100 films as a writer and lyricist.
Along with writing “Geraftaar,” which features Bachchan, Rajinikanth, and Kamal Haasan, he also contributed to the scripts for “Roti,” “Dharam Veer,” and “Amar Akbar Anthony.” The unfinished “Zamanat,” which was directed by the late S Ramanathan, was his last film as a writer.
The Shivaji Park cremation in Dadar is where Raj’s last rituals were conducted on Sunday morning. His family and business acquaintances were there. On his own blog, Bachchan paid respect to his frequent partner. “Last evening we lost another pillar of our great film industry,” the seasoned performer tweeted on Sunday.
Raj’s death has affected Anil Kapoor, who collaborated on the Raj-written film “Hifazat,” who expressed his sorrow for his passing. “I’m very grieved by the passing of Prayag Raj. Being able to work with him on “Hifazat” was an honor. He posted a picture of Raj from the movie sets on X along with the message, “May his spirit rest in peace.
“I’m sorry to learn about the death of actor-writer-director Prayag Raj. Shabana Azmi, who starred in “Amar Akbar Anthony,” said, “RIP.
