Early this morning, writer-director Neeraj Vora passed away at the age of 54 due to long-term illness. The director of films such as the hilariously funny Phir Hera Pheri had been in a coma since the past 13 months after suffering a massive heart attack and brain stroke.
The news has been confirmed by his friend and actor Paresh Rawal, who tweeted, “Neeraj Vora – The writer n director of Phir Hera Pheri n many hit films is no more…Aum Shanti.”
The end came at 4 am at Criticare Hospital, Andheri. Neeraj Vora’s family has informed that the funeral will leave from Firoz Nadiadwala’s house Barkat, and proceed to the Santacruz Electric Crematorium at 3pm.
In addition to being a film director, the 1963-born Vora was a writer, actor and composer from Gujarat. He had made his mark in Bollywood with his work as a writer for Aamir Khan's film Rangeela. His directorial debut was Khiladi 420 in 2000. Later in 2006, he wrote and directed Phir Hera Pheri.
Neeraj had also starred in films such as Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman, Rangeela, Daud: Fun on the Run, Satya, Mann, Baadshah, Bol Bachchan and Welcome Back in 2015.
He was reportedly working on the script of Hera Pheri 3, when he suffered a massive heart attack and a brain stroke in October, last year. He had been rushed to AIIMS but slipped into a coma which lasted for a year. He had been shifted to close friend Sajid Nadiadwala's Juhu bungalow Barkat Villa, which had been converted into an ICU.
Not long ago, Nadiadwala had stated that Vora had been showing some signs of improvement. “He has been responding to audio therapy, particularly when we play his father’s (Pandit Vinayak Rai Nanalal Vora) music. He has yet to recover his speech but there are no infections or bed sores and the doctors have assured us that his life is out of danger.”
Actor Suniel Shetty had also shared, “We must make it (part 3) for fans... I believe he (Neeraj) is doing better now. Once he is fit, we will roll out the film.”
Yes, it would do good to make Hera Pheri 3 not just for the fans but for its creator, himself.
