Renowned filmmaker Kumar Shahani passes away at 83
Kolkata, Feb 25: Filmmaker Kumar Shahani, a parallel cinema icon who directed films such as "Maya Darpan", "Char Adhyay" and "Kasba", has died at the age of 83.
The director passed away last night at a hopsital here, close friend, actor Mita Vashisht said.
"He passed away around 11pm last night due to age related health issues at a hospital in Kolkata. He was ailing and his health had been declining. It’s a deep personal loss,” Vashisht, who worked with the director on “Vaar Vaar Vaari”, “Khayal Gatha”, and “Kasba”, told PTI.
"We were in touch with his family. Kumar and I would talk a lot and I knew he was ailing and was in and out of hospital," the actor added.
Shahani is survived by his wife and two daughters.
In a note, the family said, “It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of our beloved Kumar, on 24th February, 2024.” The filmmaker was born in Larkana, Sindh in the undivided India. After the partition in 1947, Shahani's family shifted to Bombay.
He studied at the Film and Television Institute of India with Mani Kaul, another major name in Indian art house cinema Shahani debuted with "Maya Darpan" in 1972. The film, based on Hindi writer Nirmal Varma's short story, revolved around a woman divided between her lover and protecting the honour of her father in feudal India.
He followed it up with "Tarang" in 1984. Starring Amol Palekar and Smita Patil, the film received a national film award. The story revolved around an amoral businessman, who gets involved with a trade union leader's wife.
In “Khayal Gatha”, Shahani traced the relationship of Khayal genre with Indian classical dance and featured Rajat Kapoor and Mita Vashisht.
“Kasba”, his other feature, is about a dishonest businessman's adopted daughter, played by Vashisht, taking action when his eldest son, essayed by Shatrughan Sinha, is arrested for counterfeiting.
Vashisht hailed Shahani for his pivotal role in the parallel cinema movement in India.
“I admired him as a human being and as a filmmaker. He was one of the greatest directors in our country. His integrity and consciousness towards society, art, cinema, was unparallel. His films were inspiring,” the actor said.
The filmmaker's death was mourned by many in the film industry.
Nila Madhab Panda, best known for “I Am Kalam”, “Kadvi Hawa”, bid a tearful adieu to Shahani, remembered Shahani as a "cinematic luminary".
“Saddened by the loss of Kumar Shahani, a visionary filmmaker who painted life's canvas with cinematic mastery, farewell to a cinematic luminary. Your artistry will forever inspire,” Panda wrote on X.
Writer-filmmaker Khalid Mohamed said Shahani’s films will be remembered by his admirers.
“Goodbye my friend. Kumar Shahani, brilliant filmmaker and beautiful mind, passed away at age 83, in Calcutta. He had suffered a fall, was hospitalized and discharged after a few days but… Kumar, your groundbreaking cinema, your smile, gentle voice live on in us, your admirers forever,” Mohamed said.
Oscar-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty said Shahani will be truly missed.
“Woke up to this terrible news of #kumarshahani passing. we lost a visionary, lost a teacher, lost someone who shaped us all with his immaculate vision of cinema and visual design… We will miss you forever! May your soul rest in Peace.. Amen,” Pookutty said.
In a post on X, Film Heritage Foundation mourned the death of Shahani.
“FHF is deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Kumar Shahani, pathbreaking avant-garde filmmaker, a leading light of the Indian New Wave, and one of the first members of FHF's Advisory Council, who deeply believed in the importance of the work we do,” the post read.
FHF is deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Kumar Shahani, pathbreaking avant-garde filmmaker, a leading light of the Indian New Wave, and one of the first members of FHF's Advisory Council, who deeply believed in the importance of the work we do https://t.co/6xwiLjTSoz pic.twitter.com/hcTYgf6CUE
— Film Heritage Foundation (@FHF_Official) February 25, 2024
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Snake venom case: SC quashes FIR, proceedings against YouTuber Elvish Yadav
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Thursday quashed an FIR and subsequent proceedings against YouTuber Elvish Yadav under the Wildlife (Protection) Act in the snake venom case registered by Uttar Pradesh Police in 2023.
A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh said the case cannot be sustained in law as the complaint under the Wildlife (Protection) Act was not filed by an authorised person.
It said that offences under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) invoked in the FIR against Yadav were based on an earlier FIR registered in Gurugram, in which a closure report has been filed.
Referring to the provisions of the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substance Act (NDPS) Act invoked in the FIR against Yadav, the bench said these cannot be invoked as the liquid substance (anti-venom) recovered from the co-accused was not a prescribed substance under the schedule.
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It referred to the earlier decisions of the court and said that the case against Yadav cannot be sustained in law, quashing the FIR and subsequent proceedings, including filing of the chargesheet and cognisance order of the trial court.
The case against Yadav was registered on November 22, 2023, and he was arrested on March 17, 2024, for the alleged use of snake venom at a rave party in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
The controversial YouTuber challenged an Allahabad High Court order refusing to quash the chargesheet and the cognisance order of the trial court, terming it a serious offence.
On August 6 last year, the apex court stayed proceedings in the trial court against Yadav in the case.
The chargesheet alleged the consumption of snake venom as a recreational drug at "rave" parties by people, including foreigners.
Yadav's counsel had argued in the high court that no snakes, narcotics or psychotropic substances were recovered from him and no causal link was established between the applicant and the co-accused.
Though the informant was no longer an animal welfare officer, he filed the FIR showing himself to be one, the counsel had added.
Calling Yadav a "well-known influencer" and someone who appears in multiple reality shows on television, the counsel had said his involvement in the FIR garnered "much media attention".
