Kathak dancer Veeru Krishnan dies, Bollywood mourns
Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Tisca Chopra and Lara Dutta paid tribute
Veteran Kathak dancer Veeru Krishnan, known for his roles in films ‘Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke’ and ‘Raja Hindustan’, has died in Mumbai.
The sudden demise of Krishnan on Saturday has left the Indian film industry in shock.
Paying condolences to Krishnan, actors Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Tisca Chopra and Karanvir Bohra, who had received Kathak training from him, took to social media to pen down emotional posts.
“You taught me to dance when I had two left feet. Your patience and passion for dance was so infectious that each one of us not only learnt Kathak, but so much more from you. You will always be remembered Guruji,” Chopra Jonas tweeted.
Chopra posted a photograph in which Krishnan can be seen training the ‘Chutney’ actress. Along with it, she wrote a post, praising Krishnan for teaching her valuable life lessons.
“A sad, sad day... My Guruji... Pandit Veeru Krishnan left us. He taught me so much besides Kathak ... the value of money, making the most of any role one was getting, to go beyond tiredness in search of excellence, to be an all rounder as a performer and above all to have a laugh while doing one’s best... Guruji I will miss you deeply. You were one of a kind. May you dance into heaven and may the heavens dance with you,” she added.
Actress Lara Dutta Bhupati called Krishnan an “institution”.
“This is very sad news indeed. Prayers and heartfelt condolences to Guruji’s family. He really was an institution and his passion for Kathak and patience with his students made him an exemplary teacher,” said Dutta Bhupati.
Bohra considered Krishnan’s demise as a “great loss”.
“I’m really sad to state that my darling Guruji has left for his heavenly abode... I was going to put up a post on teachers day thanking him and other teachers, little did I know that this angel will leave his body and I will never get to see him. We have learnt so much from him. Teachers like him were very few. This is a great loss for all of us. But I know he is in a happier place,” he wrote.
The cause of Krishnan’s death is not yet known.