Sanjay Gupta’s wife Anuradha urges media to spare their kids after daughter’s obscene gesture at paps post his funeral sparks backlash
Mumbai
Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta’s wife, Anuradha Lekhi Gupta, has issued an emotional appeal to the media, requesting them to respect the privacy of their children following the controversy surrounding a viral video from the late filmmaker’s funeral. The appeal comes after a video that allegedly showed their daughter making an obscene middle-finger gesture at paparazzi outside the crematorium triggered a large amount of reactions on social media.
Filmmaker Milap Zaveri shared Anuradha’s statement on his social media account, addressing it to his friends in the media. The note read, “With heartfelt gratitude A part of our lives has been lost forever, and nothing can ever fill the void or make up for this loss. On behalf of our family, I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to all our family members, friends, Sanjay’s fans and our friends in the media for the love, condolences and strength you have extended to us during this difficult time.” She wrote, “Sanjay suffered a fatal head injury in an accidental fall, which led to his untimely demise. Sanjay loved his family and children immensely. Our children are adolescents who have suddenly lost their beloved father.
Further she wrote, “A humble request Having grown up away from the glare of the limelight and the intrusive nature of paparazzi culture, they were deeply distressed by the sudden intrusion into their privacy at such a difficult time. In their grief and anguish, some of their reactions may have been directed towards certain members of the media. I sincerely regret any hurt this may have caused.” The note further read, “I humbly request everyone to understand these reactions for what they truly are — the expressions of grieving children struggling to come to terms with an irreparable loss.” Requesting everybody to be gentle, Anuradha urged, “I request you to kindly excuse them, and appeal to everyone to delete any content that may leave lasting emotional scars on their young minds. Please allow them the privacy, compassion and space they need to grieve the loss of their father. With gratitude, Anuradha” Sharing the statement, Milap wrote, “Request to all friends in the media from @anuradhalekhigupta”. Anuradha’s Instagram account has since been made private ever since the incident occurred. The controversy erupted after Sanjay Gupta’s children were seen leaving the crematorium in a car following his last rites.
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As the family drove out of the premises, the paparazzi photographers surrounded their vehicle, clicking pictures and recording videos. In a video that went viral on social media, his daughter, who was seated in the front passenger seat, was seen making an obscene gesture towards the paparazzi, while his son, who was seated in the back, also appeared to make a similar gesture. The children were criticised by netizens for their behaviour. Some social media users also questioned why the siblings appeared to be smiling and laughing as they left the crematorium, shortly after their father’s last rites. For the uninitiated, Sanjay Gupta passed away on October 30 at the age of 57. According to preliminary police findings, the filmmaker suffered a fatal head injury after an accidental fall at his Versova residence in Mumbai. He reportedly lost his balance in the kitchen during the night and hit his head against a wall. His family members were asleep at the time and discovered him the following morning. He was rushed to a hospital, where he was declared dead. The Versova police registered an accidental death report and initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his demise. Sanjay was known for directing films such as ‘Kaante’, ‘Musafir’, ‘Zinda’, ‘Shootout at Wadala’, ‘Jazbaa’, ‘Mumbai Saga’ and ‘Kaabil’. His sudden demise left the members of the film fraternity shocked, with actors and filmmakers, including Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, Farah Khan, Rakesh Roshan, Milap Zaveri, Ronit Roy and Rohit Roy, among others, paying their last respects.
