MUMBAI: Bollywood cinematographer Ishwar Bidri, best known for his work in popular 1990s films like Andaz Apna Apna and Border, died on Sunday due to multiple health issues. He was 87.

The noted director of photography breathed his last at a hospital in Karnataka, his son Sanjeev Bidri said.

“He suffered a cardiac arrest when we were at a marriage function in Belgaum, Karnataka on December 20. We immediately rushed him to KLES Hospital. He again suffered a cardiac arrest at the hospital and given his age, it led to multiple health issues. He passed away today at 9.50 am,” Sanjeev told PTI.

Born in Karnataka’s Banhatti town, Ishwar Bidri is best known for his longstanding collaboration with filmmaker JP Dutta for whom he shot action dramas like Yateem, Hathyar, Batwara in the late 1980s and the 1998 war epic Border.

ALSO READ – (Harsh Varrdhan on working with dad Anil Kapoor in 'AK Vs AK')

An emotional Dutta remembered the cinematographer as a “great asset” to his team, who became a family member over the years.

The duo first worked together in 1976 on the director’s feature debut, the unreleased Sarhad.

“It has been a very long journey, we started in 1976. My first film Sarhad never got to see the light of the day. Then we worked on Ghulami, Yateem, Batwara, Hathyar, and Border. He was a decent, honest man. He has one of the most hardworking cameramen I ever worked with. Coming from Guru Dutt sahab’s school of cinema, he was a great asset to me. I was much junior to him. He had seen me growing up as a filmmaker and my entire journey,” JP Dutta said.

The director said he met Ishwar Bidri a few months ago.

“He would keep dropping by at the office for a cup of tea. He was like family,” he added.

Bidri also has movies such as Rajkumar Santoshi’s cult comedy Andaz Apna Apna (1994) and action thriller Ghatak (1996), and Andaaz, the 2003 romance musical directed by Raj Kanwar, to his credit.

Ishwar Bidri’s last rites took place on Sunday evening in Vijayapura, Karnataka.

SOURCE – THE INDIAN EXPRESS

ALSO READ – (Have a look at the Luxurious properties owned by Salman Khan)