Pritish Nandy Dies at 73: Remembering the Poet, Media Pioneer & Filmmaker Who Redefined Storytelling

Starting as a journalist, Nandy made his mark in several fields – films, politics and more. Following his demise, several Bollywood stars penned their thoughts on social media, remembering him and honouring his legacy.

Actor Anupam Kher wrote about how Nandy was a dear friend to him, especially during his initial days in Mumbai.

Deeply deeply saddened and shocked to know about the demise of one of my dearest and closest friends #PritishNandy! Amazing poet, writer, filmmaker and a brave and unique editor/journalist! He was my support system and a great source of strength in my initial days in Mumbai. We… pic.twitter.com/QYshTlFNd2

— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) January 8, 2025

We trace Pritish Nandy’s life, noting his many accolades and accomplishments in varied fields.

Early Days of Being a Journalist

Nandy was born on January 15, 1951, and began his journey as a journalist with The Times of India. He soon rose to the position of editor of The Illustrated Weekly of India (1983–1991), and also spearheaded The Independent, Filmfare, and other magazines.

He then went on to have a stint on TV, with his show ‘The Pritish Nandy Show’, which aired on DD. He interviewed famous personalities

Apart from being a prolific journalist, Nandy also wrote poetry, and translated Bengali, Urdu, and Punjabi poetry into English. His contributions to the field of literature won him the prestigious Padma Shri in 1977.

Read: Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani Re-Release: Nostalgia Guaranteed, But Time to Reassess Bunny-Naina

In the early 1990s, he forayed into films, setting up Pritish Nandy Communications, a media company that would go on to produce some iconic cinema.

Making Standout Films like Chameli, Jhankar Beats and More

Under the banner of Pritish Nandy Communications, he backed a series of critically acclaimed films. These included ‘Sur’, the multi-starrer ‘Kaante’, cult hit ‘Jhankaar Beats’, and Kareena Kapoor starrer ‘Chameli’.

After his death, Kareena Kapoor posted a picture on her stories, where she can be seen in her iconic red costume, chatting with Pritish.

He also ventured into romantic comedies with hits like ‘Pyaar Ke Side Effects’, and also made the gripping political drama ‘Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi’.

In recent years, the banner ventured into making web series for contemporary audiences. His projects included "Four More Shots Please" and "Modern Love Mumbai".

Rajya Sabha MP and Animal Rights Activist

Although in his early years, he had clear Left leanings, his foray into politics happened after he was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the Shiv Sena.

He played a key role in setting up the NGO, People for Animals, with Maneka Gandhi.

A visionary in many ways, he was also instrumental in pioneering standout projects in many fields. Celebrities like actor Sanjay Dutt, writer Ashwin Sanghi and others took to social media to mourn his death.