Filmmaker Mahesh Jirawala missing post Ahmedabad plane crash, family in distress; everything to know
Filmmaker Mahesh Jirawala went missing on the day of the Ahmedabad plane crash, with his last known location just 700 metres from the crash site
The tragic crash of an Air India flight in Ahmedabad on June 12 has left the nation in mourning. As officials confirm that 270 lives were lost in the accident, the process of identifying victims continues with 99 confirmed through DNA testing and 64 bodies handed over to grieving families.
But feared to be amongst the 29 residents who lost their lives on the ground in Meghaninagar is Ahmedabad-based filmmaker Mahesh Kalawadia, popularly known as Mahesh Jirawala. His name has surfaced in connection with the crash after he went missing the same day. According to his wife, Hetal, his last known location was just 700 metres from the crash site.
Who is Mahesh Jirawala?
A resident of Naroda, Mahesh Jirawala is best known for his work in Gujarati music videos and advertorials. He is the founder and CEO of Mahesh Jirawala Productions, a creative outfit that produces visual content primarily in regional languages.
In 2019, he directed the film Cocktail Premi Pag Of Revenge, which starred Asha Panchal and Vruti Thakkar. Mahesh was also active on Instagram, frequently posting about upcoming projects and sharing behind-the-scenes moments from his shoots. He lived with his wife Hetal and their two children — a daughter and a son — in Naroda, a suburb of Ahmedabad.
According to his wife, Mahesh left home on June 12 to meet someone near Law Garden. He called her at 1:14 pm to let her know he was on his way back. But when she tried to reach him at 1:40 pm — just minutes after the Air India plane took off from the Ahmedabad airport — his phone was switched off.
“His scooter and mobile phone are missing. All this is unusual since he would never use that route (as per the last location) to come home,” Hetal told PTI. The family has since submitted DNA samples to authorities in hopes of confirming whether Mahesh was among those killed when the aircraft crashed in Meghaninagar.
As the investigation continues and more names are added to the heartbreaking list of victims, loved ones like Hetal are left waiting for answers.
