A mother’s appeal

Anuradha Lekhi Gupta, the wife of late filmmaker Sanjay Gupta, on Monday requested the media for privacy as she and her two young children grieve the sudden death of the director at the age of 59. “A part of our lives has been lost forever, and nothing can ever fill the void or make up for this loss. On behalf of our family, I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to all family members, friends, Sanjay’s fans and our friends in the media for the love, condolences and strength you have extended to us during this difficult time,” she wrote.

“Sanjay suffered a fatal head injury in an accidental fall, which led to his untimely demise. Sanjay loved his family and children immensely. Our children are adolescents who have suddenly lost their beloved father,” she added.

Anuradha addresses daughter’s behaviour

Videos of Gupta’s daughter, 13, flashing her middle finger at paparazzi at the cremation started trending on social media. Anuradha said, “Having grown up away from the glare of the limelight and the intrusive nature of paparazzi culture, they were deeply distressed by the sudden intrusion into their privacy at such a difficult time. In their grief and anguish, some of their reactions may have been directed towards certain members of the media.

I sincerely regret any hurt this may have caused. I humbly request everyone to understand these reactions for what they truly are - the expressions of grieving children struggling to come to terms with an irreparable loss. I appeal to everyone to delete any content that may leave lasting scars on their young minds.”