Indian celebs pay tribute to 'cinematic genius' Abbas Kiarostami

Abbas Kiarostami

New Delhi: Indian filmmakers like Madhur Bhandarkar, Sudhir Mishra and actors Rahul Bose, Nandita Das and Prosenjit Chatterjee among others on Tuesday paid a heartfelt tribute to Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami, who died at the age of 76.

Abbas Kiarostami

A Palme d'Or winning filmmaker, Kiarostami, died in Paris. He had been receiving treatment for gastrointestinal cancer and had travelled to France for a series of operations.

Often applying a non-narrative and experimental approach, the poetic and highly visual filmmaker was revered by cineastes around the world.

"Rest in peace and beauty and complexity you brought to the world with your unforgettable cinema, Abbas Kiarostami," internationally acclaimed Indian filmmaker Mira Nair tweeted.

Oscar winning sound musician Resul Pookutty said: "One of our contemporary master filmmakers Abbas Kiarostami has left the stage; your place will never be filled."

Born in Tehran, Kiarostami started the film department at Kanun, Iran's Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults. He made his first film, "Bread and Alley" while running the institute.

He first made an impression outside his home country with the Koker trilogy including "Where is the Friend's Home?," "Life, and Nothing More…" and "Through the Olive Trees." He also wrote and produced Jafar Panahi's directing debut "The White Balloon." "Taste of Cherry" was his seventh feature and shared the Cannes prize with Shohei Imamura's "The Eel."

India's National Award winning filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar said: "The world of cinema has lost a true cinematic genius, Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami."

While Hansal Mehta pointed out how Kiarostami "leaves before the end of a blood soaked Ramzan", while Sudhir Mishra said how "one of the greats has gone" in this "terrible year".

Bengali star Prosenjit Chatterjee mourned the filmmaker's death, and commented: "Can't believe that Abbas Kiarostami is no more with us... We have lost a real legend. The industry will never get a man like him."

Playing on one of Kiarostami's 1999 film's title, "Masaan" director Neeraj Ghaywan tweeted: "So long, Abbas Kiarostami. The wind will carry us, a wing will carry you."

Rahul Bose described the filmmaker as "one of the greats of our time" and actress-director Nandita Das shared: "Deeply saddened to know that Abbas Kiarostami passed away. We have lost a great filmmaker and a wonderful human."