At his house, family and friends paid their last respects, along with people from educational institutions under the Rizvi Education Society, of which Abis was secretary.
Film producer and builder Abis Rizvi, 49, — one of two Indians killed in the New Year's terror attack in Istanbul — was laid to rest in the city on Wednesday, with hundreds of well-wishers bidding him farewell.
Rizvi's body was flown in from Turkey, and reached Mumbai at 5 am. The body was taken to the Rizvi household, Meena Mahal near Almeida Park in Bandra, before it was taken to Rehmatabad Qabrastan, where he was buried next his younger brother, who passed away six years ago.
At his house, family and friends paid their last respects, along with people from educational institutions under the Rizvi Education Society, of which Abis was secretary.
"It came to me as a shock. I spoke to him around 10.44 pm India time. I sent him a New Year wish. I could see that the message had been viewed, but there was no response. I thought probably he had fallen asleep. Later, I received the shocking news. He was more than a brother to me. He was funny and a very large-hearted, lively person," said actor Puneet Issar, with whom Rizvi had two projects planned. He added, "We will certainly complete the projects he had taken up."
Issar was among the celebrities who visited Rizvi's home and the Qabrastan. Among others who had come to offer condolences were actors Javed Jaffery, Arshad Warsi, Maria, Tabassum, Raveena Tandon, Atul Agnihotri, Salman Khan's sister Alvira, politil leaders Priya Dutt, Baba Siddiqui, Ebrahim Shaikh alias Bhaijaan, Shiv Sena leaders Gajanand Kirtikar and Sunil Prabhu, among others.
"I knew him because he has a project in my constituency. He was doing social work and I had friendly relations. It was shocking that he passed away," said Sunil Prabhu. For people who worked at the Rizvi Education Society, he was a leader to them. "He was a wonderful person and introduced changes in the institution," said Dr Radhika Vakharia, principal of Rizvi College of Education. "He was loved by all and had no airs of being the son of a big man," said Sadiq Rizvi, Abis's uncle.
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