HT Bureau

GUWAHATI, May 24: Popular Assamese filmmaker Dara Ahmed breathed his last at Apollo Hospital in the city on Monday.

He was 72.

Ahmed was admitted to the hospital on Sunday after he complained of chest pain. He was shifted to ICU, where he died on Monday.

Ahmed entered the industry as an assistant director of the film ‘Dr Bezbarua’ (1969), directed by Brajen Barua.

After that Dara Ahmed directed a number of popular Assamese films.

Some of the films, directed by Dara Ahmed include ‘Rikshawala’, ‘Jakhini’, ‘Urbashi’, ‘Dhrubatora’, ‘Pooja’ and ‘Devi’ (jointly with Sambhu Gupta).

“I am saddened by the loss of Dara Ahmed, a popular director of the Assamese film industry. His demise created a void in the Assamese film world. I wish eternal peace to the departed soul and extend my deepest condolences to the bereaved family,” chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in a tweet.

Former chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal also took to Twitter and wrote, “Deeply saddened by the demise of noted film director Dara Ahmed. He has enriched our film industry with several successful Assamese films. I extend my deepest condolences to the bereaved family and pray for the eternal peace of the departed soul.”