Actor-filmmaker Neeraj Vora passes away

Bollywood actor- filmmaker Neeraj Vora breathed his last at 4 am on Thursday.

Mumbai: Bollywood actor- filmmaker Neeraj Vora, who had slipped into coma after suffering a massive heart-attack and a brain stroke in October 2016, breathed his last at 4 am on Thursday. He was admitted to the Criti Care hospital here. He was 54.

Veteran actor Paresh Rawal took to Twitter to confirm the news. He tweeted: "Neeraj Vora - The writer n director of Phir Hera Pheri n many hit films is no more ...Aum Shanti (sic)."

Neeraj Vora - The writer n director of Phir Hera Pheri n many hit films is no more ...Aum Shanti .

— Paresh Rawal (@SirPareshRawal) 14 December 2017

Vora was on ventilator since the last four days. Multi organ failure led to his death. His last rights will be held today at 3PM at the Santa Cruz west cremation ground.

Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit too shared the sad news on Twitter. He wrote: "Sad to know that one the finest Actor,Writer,Director,Producer & a dear friend Neeraj Vora passed away early morning at #Criticare Hospital. Juhu. The Creamation will be held at 3 pm at SantaCruz West #Mumbai. Opp Police station.#RIP"

"Writer,Director,Actor,Producer Neeraj Vora was on ventilator from last 4 days & expired due to multi organ failure. The Creamation will be held today at 3 pm today at the Santa Cruz west. Creamation Ground," he added.

Vora had been moved to friend Firoz Nadiadwala’s house here after he had slipped into coma. A room in Nadiadwala’s residence was converted into an ICU for his speedy recovery.

According to a Mumbai Mirror report in April, “A room in filmmaker Firoz Nadiadwala’s Juhu home, Barkat Villa, has been converted into a fully-functional Intensive Care Unit (ICU). On the walls are throwback stills from Rangeela, Virasat, Hera Pheri, Phir Hera Pheri, Gomaal, Daud and Khiladi 420 and in a corner, a stack of DVDs with a flat screen TV plays him blockbusters from down the years round-the-clock. This room has been home to writer-director-actor Neeraj Vora since March 11, with a 24-hour nurse, ward boy and cook. A physiotherapist, neurosurgeon, acupuncture therapist and general physician pay him weekly visits.”

Born in a Gujarati family, Neeraj came to be known in the film industry for the way he tackled humour through his acting, writing and directorial projects.

As a writer, he worked on films like Rangeela, Akele Hum Akele Tum, Josh, Badshah, Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, Awara Paagal Deewana, Deewane Huye Paagal, Ajnabee, Hera Pheri and Phir Hera Pheri.

His directorial projects include Khiladi 420 and Phir Hera Pheri. He was to direct Hera Pheri III, but uncertainty loomed large over the project after he suffered a stroke in October 2016.

(With IANS inputs)