Anuradha Lekhi Gupta seeks privacy for children after funeral video controversy
The wife of late filmmaker Sanjay Gupta requested the media to respect her children's privacy following a viral video.
Anuradha Lekhi Gupta has appealed to the media to respect the privacy of her children following controversy over a video from the funeral of her husband, filmmaker Sanjay Gupta. According to The Assam Tribune, the appeal follows a viral video that allegedly showed their daughter making an obscene gesture at paparazzi outside the crematorium.
The filmmaker died on October 30 at the age of 57. Preliminary police findings suggest Gupta sustained a lethal head injury after accidentally falling at his Versova residence in Mumbai. He reportedly lost his balance in the kitchen and hit his head against a wall.
The controversy began when paparazzi surrounded the family's vehicle as they left the crematorium. In the video, the daughter was seen making a middle-finger gesture from the front passenger seat, while the son appeared to make a similar gesture from the back. Netizens criticised the children for their behaviour and for appearing to smile.
Sharing a statement via filmmaker Milap Zaveri's social media, Anuradha Lekhi Gupta said her children are adolescents who have suddenly lost their father. She noted that they grew up away from the limelight and were deeply distressed by the sudden intrusion of paparazzi culture during their grief.
She requested that people excuse the children's reactions and asked for the deletion of content that could cause emotional scars. She urged the public to allow the family the space and compassion needed to grieve the loss.