Bollywood mourns death of Hrishikesh Mukherjee

The film industry today condoled the death of legendary filmmaker Hrishikesh Mukherjee describing as a man who left an indelible mark on Indian cinema with his style of direction and view of life.

"His films carried the Hrishida stamp and he was there in every frame," actor-turned filmmaker Amol Palekar said.

"I had the honour to work in his films and I can say that the experience was memorable," Palekar said. "I am proud that I got to work with him", he added.

Rajesh Khanna, who acted in Mukherjee's films like Anand and Bawarchi said, "Mukherjee will be with us forever. Every morning, I will remember him and the thoughts he gave me. Hrishida will continue to live in us forever."

"Of the two oft-trodden paths of arts and commerce in filmdom, he adopted a middle path, that of humanity," he said.

Singer and son of late Mukesh, Nitin Mukesh, said Mukherjee was 'like my father'.

"My late father worked with Mukherjee in some memorable films," Nitin Mukesh said and pointed out, "My father sang Kahin door jab din dhal jaaye in Mukherjee's film Anand.

"Now, there is sunset over an era in Indian cinema," he said.

Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said, "With Mukherjee's demise, India has lost a filmmaker par excellence. Millions of film lovers will mourn Mukherjee's demise."

Veteran actress Waheeda Rehman said Mukherjee was a sensitive filmmaker in whose films women had a dominant role.

"Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to work with him, although he told me several times that he would make me work in his films," Waheeda said.

"That did not materialise," she said. "I watched all his films except for the last one which he made with Anil Kapoor in 1998", she said.

Actor Anupam Kher said: "After watching Hrishida's films, one wondered that such clean and wholesome films were still being made in India."

"God has stopped making people like Mukherjee", Kher said. "An era in Indian films has ended," he added.