Filmmaker Saawan Kumar Tak dies at 86, Salman Khan pays tribute on social media

Saawan Kumar Tak, filmmaker and lyricist, died in Mumbai on Thursday at the age of 86.

Filmmaker Saawan Kumar Tak, known for films like Sanam Bewafa and Souten, died on Thursday at a hospital in Mumbai, his nephew told media. The director had been admitted to the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital on Wednesday in ‘critical’ condition. He was being treated for lungs infection and breathing issues. He was 86.

Saawan Kumar Tak died on Thursday at the age of 86.

As per a PTI report, he breathed his last at 4:15 pm on Thursday. “He passed away at 4:15pm due to heart failure. His heart had stopped functioning,” Navin, the filmmaker's nephew, told PTI.

Saawan Kumar Tak began his career as a producer on the 1967 film Naunihal. He is credited with giving Sanjeev Kumar, the lead actor of the film, his screen name. In 1972, he made his directorial debut with Gomti Ke Kinare, Meena Kumari's final film. His most memorable film was Souten, featuring Rajesh Khanna, Tina Munim and Padmini Kolhapure, which released in 1983.

At the turn of the century, he made a number of films featuring Salman Khan, including Sanam Bewafa (1991), Chaand Ka Tukda(1994) and Saawan... The Love Season (2003). After his death, Salman took to Twitter to pay tribute to the director. “May u rest in peace my dear Sawaan ji. Have always loved n respected u,” he tweeted.

A prolific lyricist, Saawan Kumar often wrote the lyrics for most of the songs in his films as well. He wrote lyrics for other filmmakers as well. Among his most notable and popular songs were Zindagi Pyaar Ka Geet Hai from his film Souten, as well as Pyaar Ki Kashti Mein, Janeman Janeman and Chand Sitaare for Rakesh Roshan's 2000 hit, Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai, which marked the debut of Hrithik Roshan and Ameesha Patel.

(With PTI inputs)