Filmmaker O P Dutta passes away

Mumbai: Veteran Bollywood writer-filmmaker O P Dutta died here following a bout pneumonia at the Kokilaben Hospital in suburban Andheri.

The end came last night around 9.30 pm.

According to Dr Ram Narain, COO, Kokilaben Hospital, Dutta was admitted to the hospital on February 7 and he
succumbed to complications of pneumonia yesterday.

The filmmaker, who was in his late 80s, began his career as a director with 'Pyaar Ki Jeet' in 1948, followed by
'Surajmukhi' (1950), 'Ek Nazar' (1951), 'Malkin' (1953), 'Aangan' (1959) and others, later he turned writer for his son
J P Dutta with films like 'Ghulami' (1985), 'Hathyar' (1989), 'Border' (1997), 'Refugee' (2000), 'LOC Kargil' (2003) and his
last film as a writer was 'Umrao Jaan' (2006).

Actor Abhishek Bachchan, who worked with him for 'Umrao Jaan', expressed grief over his demise.

'As soon as I get off the stage, I receive the terrible news of the passing of Mr O P Dutta. Father to J P Dutta. The
director who launched me.. O P ji was J P saab's writer and dialogue writer. He penned my very first words that I ever
said on screen. Such a loving man,' Abhishek wrote on Twitter. 'Full of zest, positivity and compassion. Had a great
sense of humor and so rich in experience. He taught me one of my greatest lessons in life...'jab bura apni burayi na chode,
phir achcha apni achchayi kyun chode?' (if the bad does not stop being bad, then why... should the good stop being good),'
he said.