Bollywood bids farewell to Ayan Mukerji’s father, Deb Mukherjee

Mumbai: Director Ayan Mukerji’s father, veteran actor Deb Mukherjee passed away at 83 on Friday morning. His funeral was held at Pawan Hans Crematorium in the Juhu area of Mumbai. Several members of the Hindi film fraternity attended the ceremony.

Bollywood superstar Ranbir Kapoor, who is Ayan’s best friend, stepped forward to shoulder the bier during the final rites of Deb Mukherjee. Pictures from the funeral show Ranbir, dressed in white, joining the Samarth-Mukherjee family and his close friend in paying his last respects.

Ranbir cut short the birthday celebrations of his wife Alia and the Holi celebrations to return to the city to pay their last respects to the late actor.

Bollywood actress Kajol, who is Deb’s niece, was seen at Ayan’s house along with her son Yug. Veteran actress Jaya Bachchan was also known to him and she, too, was seen at the house.

Bollywood multi-hyphenate Karan Johar, superstar Hrithik Roshan and veteran screenwriter Salim Khan were also seen at the ceremony.

Deb Mukherjee was born in Kanpur in 1941, his mother, Satidevi, was the only sister of Ashok Kumar, Anup Kumar, and Kishore Kumar. Actor Joy Mukherjee and filmmaker Shomu Mukherjee, who married Bollywood star Tanuja, were his brothers.

The late actor was married twice. Sunita, his daughter from his first marriage, is married to director Ashutosh Gowariker. Ayan is his son from his second marriage.

The veteran actor has worked in films like ‘Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki’, ‘Baaton Baaton Mein’, ‘Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander’, ‘Kaminey’ and others.

Deb Mukherjee began his career with minor roles in the 1960s, appearing in films like ‘Tu Hi Meri Zindagi’ and ‘Abhinetri’. He continued acting and was seen in big films like ‘Do Aankhen’ and ‘Baton Baton Mein’. However, Deb struggled to get the kind of success his brother Joy Mukherjee received.

He then moved to supporting roles in films like ‘Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander’ and ‘King Uncle’. His last screen appearance was a cameo in Vishal Bhardwaj’s ‘Kaminey’ in 2009. In ‘Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander’, which is hands down one of the best coming-of-age sports films of Indian cinema, he essayed the role of sports coach of Rajput college.

The film was remade in Telugu in 1999 as ‘Thammudu’ which in turn was remade in multiple languages. Over the years, the film has gained a cult following.

Deb was also known for hosting the grand North Mumbai Durga Pooja celebrations in the city which attracted huge media coverage in all its editions owing to the presence of his nieces, Kajol and Rani Mukerji.

IANS