Shakti Samanta

Greatest filmmaker of Bollywood Shakti Samata, 83, yesterday (9-4-2009) passed away after a brief illness. "He passed away at around 5 pm at his suburban Santacruz residence. He was recovering from a stroke which he suffered over two months ago," a family member. Shakthi Samanta had produced box-office hits for Super Star Rajesh Khanna like Aradhana - 1969,Kati Patang - 1970, Amar Prem - 1971, Anuraag - 1972, Ajanabee - 1974, Mehboob - 1976, Anurodh - 1977, Ayaash - 1982, Awaaz - 1984, Alag Alag - 1985 and his movies with Super Star Rajesh Khanna were super hit. His funeral would be held at Santacruz crematorium at 11 am today (10-4-2009 Samanta was also the former president of Indian Motion Pictures Association of India (IMPAA). "Samanta was recovering after suffering a stroke. He had a clot in his brain but was not operated upon for the same. 'Samanta magic' with Super Star Rajesh Khanna didn't work with Bachchan While his association with actors like Shammi Kapoor, Super Star Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore resulted in some of Hindi cinema's most memorable films, movie mogul Shakti Samanta failed to create a similar onscreen magic with Amitabh Bachchan. Bachchan and Samanta came together for films like 'The Great Gambler'(1979) and 'Barsaat Ki Ek Raat'(1981), but these films could hardly match the frenzy generated by his films starring the Kapoor-Khanna-Tagore trio. Apart from his movies, the director of 43 feature films - 37 Hindi, and six Bengali - is remembered for introducing actress Sharmila Tagore, who went on to form a legendary pair with Samanta's blue-eyed boy Super Star Rajesh Khanna, in 'Kashmir Ki Kali'. The Samanta-Khanna pair was responsible for some of Bollywood's memorable classics like 'Aradhana','Amar Prem' and 'Kati Patang'. He also formed a formidable pair with the heartthrob of the 60's, Shammi Kapoor. Samantha and Kapoor worked together in films like 'An Evening in Paris','Chinatown' and 'Kashmir Ki Kali'.