Actor Nitu Chandra Srivastava says the death of filmmaker Pradeep Sarkar is like a personal loss to her, as she is very close to his family. Sarkar, known for directing Parineeta (2005), Lafangey Parindey (2010), Mardaani (2014) and Helicopter Eela (2018), died in Mumbai on Friday.

The actor met Sarkar just three weeks ago at his residence in Mumbai, where she learned that the 67-year-old was suffering from kidney issues and was undergoing dialysis.

“He was not well at all. He was struggling with several health issues and said, ‘Meri tabiyat theek nahin hai’. We told him to take care of himself and rest, and that he could work on his projects once he got better,” she recalls, adding that the filmmaker was always trying a new diet to lose weight.

The actor says that despite all the health issues plaguing Sarkar, those close to him never imagined this loss. “We were hoping for him to bounce back. He was eating food, talking to us and had the will to get better,” she shares.

Like Sarkar’s loved ones, the Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! (2008) actor says now she is clutching onto her memories of him. “He was the first one with whom I worked in the industry. Nobody portrayed women in the traditional and classy way in modern times like he did. There was nobody like him,” she ends.