Anuradha Lekhi Gupta defends daughter after viral video at funeral
The wife of late filmmaker Sanjay Gupta asked the media to respect their privacy following a video of their daughter's reaction.
Anuradha Lekhi Gupta has issued a statement defending her daughter after a video from filmmaker Sanjay Gupta's funeral went viral. According to The Indian Express, the clip showed the 13-year-old daughter, Dalai Gupta, gesturing with her middle finger toward paparazzi who had surrounded the family's car.
The filmmaker died on Saturday following a fatal head injury caused by an accidental fall at his Mumbai residence. While the Mumbai Police conducted an investigation and a forensic team visited the home, the wife expressed that she does not suspect foul play.
In a statement shared by filmmaker Milap Zaveri on Monday, Anuradha explained that their adolescent children were distressed by the sudden intrusion of privacy during a difficult time. She noted that the children had grown up away from the limelight and were struggling with the loss of their father.
Anuradha expressed regret for any hurt caused by the reactions of her children during their period of anguish. She requested that media platforms excuse the children and delete any content that could cause lasting emotional damage to their young minds.
The statement concluded with a plea for the media to provide the family with the compassion and space required to grieve. Sanjay Gupta, known for directing films such as Kaante and Kaabil, was cremated at the Versova crematorium on Saturday evening.