Filmmaker Shakti Samanta, who was 83, passed away yesterday in the evening. He had suffered a stroke a few months ago and had never quite recovered from that. His funeral will be held today at the Santa Cruz crematorium. He is survived by his two sons, Ashim and Sameer.

Shakti Samanta had a very illustrious and long career as a director. He began his journey in films as an assistant director way back in 1948 with Bombay Talkies. But he came into his own soon enough and directed a film called Bahu in 1954 and followed it up by turning producer as well. His best was to come in the sixties and the seventies. But he managed to come into prominence with the Ashok Kumar starrer Howrah Bridge, which he produced as well, and followed it up with the Shammi Kapoor starrer Kashmir Ki Kali. The film is also famous because it was actress Sharmila Tagore's first film in Hindi. Shakti Samanta had a special relationship with Sharmila and Shammi and they trio worked together in another successful film called An Evening In Paris. He is also had a hand in making Rajesh Khanna the beloved of the masses in the late sixties and early Seventies till the latter was dethroned by Amitabh Bachchan. The filmmaker made quite a few films with Khanna like Aradhana, Kati Patang and Amar Prem. Sharmila seemed to remain his favourite actress and she starred in most of his films except for Kati Patang which had Asha Parekh instead. Besides these films, he also made Amanush and Anand Ashram starring the late Bengali matinee idol Uttam Kumar and Sharmila. He also made quite a few films with Amitabh Bachchan as well. The two did films like Barsat Ki Ek Raat and The Great Gambler. His films are still remembered today for their evergreen music.

Besides being a producer and director, he also served as president of the Indian Motion Pictures Producers' Assssociation, and as the chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification. Shakti Samanta was part of an era in Hindi films, an era which has lost most of its icons in the dusts of time. May his soul rest in peace!