On Sunday, actor Abhishek Bachchan wrote a heartfelt ode to director Sanjay Gadhvi, with whom he had collaborated on the films Dhoom and Dhoom 2.
The actor, who portrayed assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Jai Dixit in both films, expressed his astonishment at learning about Gadvi’s passing in a letter.
“I shot this picture of Sanjay while we were in South Africa filming the Dhoom 2 climax. We collaborated on two movies, Dhoom and Dhoom 2, “Abhishek Bachchan posted two images and a message on X, the former Twitter.
“Sanju, when I spoke to you last week and we were reminiscing about our shoots and memories I would never have imagined even in my craziest dreams that I would have to write a post like this. I’m shocked beyond belief,” the actor added.
The junior Bachchan said he would always cherish Sanjay Gadhvi for having faith in him and helping him deliver his first hit film. “You had faith in me, even when I didn’t. You gave me my first-ever hit!!! I can never ever forget that or be able to express what it meant to me. I will cherish your friendship always. Rest in peace, my brother,” he wrote.
Sanjay Gadhvi passed away at his Mumbai residence early on Sunday. Three days away from turning 57, he was 56 years old. Gadhvi’s daughter said that her father was “perfectly healthy”. His wife and two daughters survive him.
The studio declared that the “magic Gadhvi created on the screen will be cherished forever” in a statement that was posted on X. “May his soul rest in peace. #SanjayGadhvi,” it continued.
Tere Liye, Gadhvi’s 2000 directorial debut, was followed by Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai, his first Yash Raj Films (YRF) production, in 2002. His third feature film, the glitzy action thriller Dhoom, launched him to fame and turned motorbiking into a sensation among young Indians in the early 2000s.