Bollywood directors and actors react to Richard Attenborough’s death

B-town mourned the death of famous actor-director Richard Attenborough. Directors like R Balki, Rakesyh Omprakash Mehra and actors like Kamal Hassan spoke to Firstpost about Attenborough and how he had been an inspiration to them. Read their comments below:

Annu Kapoor: “My first earning in the city of Mumbai was on 25 August 1982 when I dubbed for a small role in Gandhi in the presence of the great Sir Richard Attenborough exactly 32 years back.We’ve now lost him. May God rest his soul in peace.”

Kamal Hassan: “He had the greatest respect for Mr Satyajit Ray. In an interview Sir Richard said Satyajit Ray sent him a script to read. He said even if Mr Ray had sent him an Indian telephone directory he would have read it.”

Rakesyh Omprakash Mehra: “One of the greats of our cinema Sir Richard is no more. From Brighton Rock to A Bridge Too Far to Gandhi he has given us so much. He lives forever in his work.”

Nagesh Kukunoor: “It’s a loss! 32 years later Gandhi still remains the greatest film made on India.Period.”

R Balki: “He was God. He reincarnated Gandhi.”

Nishikant Kamat: “Great actor and an even greater director.Sir Richard’s A Bridge Too Far was the greatest war film of its times. His sense of filming real lives was incredible He lived his dreams to the fullest. One of the most accomplished filmmakers. his sense of mega-shots and their execution was simply astounding. He had a macro vision of shot-taking which very few filmmakers are blessed with. May his soul rest in peace.”

Lilette Dubey: “And with this an era ends. He will always be remembered as one who belonged to that rare breed which strode both stage and cinema equally effortlessly. Before any prominent Indian filmmaker dared he made a film on Gandhi and turned it into an imperishable classic. Fearlessly braving the carping of historians and critics he took the spirit of Gandhi to the world. He will be forever remembered for that.”

Onir: “It’s sad that one more beautiful artiste is lost to the world. Sir Richard’s work specially Gandhi , has immortalized him for ever.”