Saturday, May 21 2005 17:26 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: Veteran film maker Subhodh Mukherjee, who raised Hindi film industry to new heights in the sixties with melodious music in his box office hits like "Jungalee" and "Muneemji", passed away early today (May 22, 2005) at a city hospital following a prolonged illness.

Mukherjee was suffering from blood cancer and was under treatment since last year, family sources said.

He was 84 and leaves behind his wife Kamala, sons Subhash and Sanjay and a daughter who is in USA.

His sons, Subhash and Sanjay lit the funeral pyre at the Santacruz crematorium where a galaxy of film personalities were present to pay their homage to the veteran film maker.

Among the film personalities who attended the funeral were Shakti Samanta, Debu Mukherjee, Joy Mukherjee, Chandrashekhar, Somu Mukherjee, Subir Mukherjee, Santosh Jain and Ram Dayal.

Earlier, film thespian Dilip Kumar and his wife Saira Banu visited Mukherjee's residence in suburban Khar to pay their homage to the departed soul.

"In the death of Mukherjee, Bollywood has lost a veteran film personality", Dilip Kumar said.

Mukherjee has to his credit several box office hits including 'Jungalee', 'Muneemji', 'Love Marriage', 'April Fool', 'Shagird', 'Romeo' and 'Sharmilee'.