Veteran actor Yusuf Hussain passes away at 73
Mumbai, Oct 30: Veteran actor Yusuf Hussain, known for featuring in films like "Dhoom 2", "Raees" and "Road to Sangam", passed away on Saturday due to COVID-19. He was 73.
The actor passed away at Lilavati Hospital here, Husain's son-in-law, filmmaker Hansal Mehta told PTI.
Mehta took to Twitter and penned an emotional note for the actor, recalling how Husain had helped him financially after his feature "Shahid" was stuck after two schedules.
"I was troubled. A non-existent career as a filmmaker was almost finished completely. He just came up to me and said I have a fixed deposit and it is of no use to me if you are so troubled. He wrote a cheque. 'Shahid' was completed. That was Yusuf Husain.
"Not my father-in-law but a father. He was life if life itself had to have a physical form. Today he is gone," Mehta wrote.
The filmmaker said he owes his "new life" to Husain and wrote he feels "truly orphaned today."
"Life will never be the same. I will miss you terribly. My Urdu will remain broken. And yes - love you love you love you," he added.
The veteran actor's credits also include films like "Dabangg 3", "Oh My God", "I Am Singh" and had also shot for Abhishek Bachchan-starrer upcoming thriller "Bob Biswas".
Bachchan took to Twitter and also paid his condolences to the veteran.
"We worked together in several films starting with 'Kuch Na Kaho' and lastly on 'Bob Biswas'. He was gentle, kind and full of warmth. Condolences to his family."
Mehta's close friend and longtime collaborator, actor Manoj Bajpayee tweeted, "Sad News! Condolences to @safeenahusain @mehtahansal and the entire family! Rest in peace Yusuf saab."
Actor-filmmaker Pooja Bhatt wrote that Mehta's post about Husain had made her emotional.
"This brought tears to my eyes Hansal. Can't begin to imagine what you'll are feeling. My deepest condolences to all," she added.
RIP Yusuf Husain. pic.twitter.com/laP0b1U732
— Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) October 29, 2021
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Prime organiser of Messi event in Kolkata arrested over ‘mismanagement’ after stadium chaos
Kolkata (PTI): The police on Saturday arrested Satadru Datta, the prime organiser of the Lionel Messi football event at Salt Lake Stadium here, following widespread chaos at the venue, which prompted the Argentine World Cup-winning captain to leave the field early.
Taking suo motu cognisance of the stadium unrest, Datta was held by the Bidhannagar Police for “mismanagement” of the event from the Kolkata airport, where he had gone to see off Messi and his entourage on their way to Hyderabad.
"We are looking into whether there was any mismanagement from the organiser's side, which led to the chaos at the stadium. He has been detained, and the police have now brought the situation under control," West Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar said at a press conference.
A senior police officer later confirmed that Dutta has been arrested. Till reports last received, the police were interrogating him and his manager inside one of the departure lounges of the airport.
The organiser has given in writing that he will refund the prices of tickets he sold to the disappointed spectators, Kumar said.
What was supposed to be a marquee football spectacle turned into widespread violence and disorder at the stadium after Messi’s brief and tightly ring-fenced appearance, his first at the venue since 2011, left large sections of the crowd frustrated, as they failed to catch a glimpse of their superstar despite having travelled from far and wide, paying hefty sums for tickets.
Police said they were also investigating how organisers allowed sale of bottled waters and beverages inside the stadium premises, which are banned items during such events.
Thousands of water bottles were used as missiles and lobbed inside the pitch by angry spectators, who also uprooted bucket seats from the gallery and used them as ammunition inside the field against the defending police and security personnel.
Spectators alleged that water bottles were being sold at a massive premium inside the stadium despite police disallowing such items from outside at the entry gates.
Police agreed there was an underlying tension in the galleries on account of Messi not showing his footballing skills on the field, which only got aggravated after a bunch of VIPs, including State Sports Minister Aroop Biswas and unidentified people, blocked the football icon’s view during the limited time he spent on the ground.
“We are on the job, and will ensure that whoever is responsible for what happened today at Salt Lake Stadium will be punished, and action will be taken against the authorities concerned,” said Jawed Shamim, ADG, Law and Order.
