Veteran filmmaker M M Baig found dead at his home

Veteran filmmaker M M Baig, father of popular yesteryear child artist Baby Guddu and who was involved with films such as Razia Sultan and directed Chhoti Bahu, was found dead at his home, his publicist Hanif Zaveri said.

He was in his 70s.

“He was unwell for quite some time. Since, he didn’t come out of the house for four-five days, the neighbours complained to the cops about a foul place coming from his house.

“The police opened the door and found Baig sahab’s dead body and informed his daughter about it. They later took his body to Cooper Hospital for post-mortem at around 1:30-2:00 am. He was a loving man. I pray for his departed soul,” Zaveri told PTI.

Baig began his career as an assistant to J Om Prakash, Vimal Kumar, and Rakesh Roshan on films like Govinda’s Aadmi Khilona Hai, Jaisi Karni Waisi Bharnii, and Karz Chukana Hai, Anil Kapoor-starrer, Kala Bazaar and Kishen Kanhaiya, among others.

As an independent director, he directed two films including Naseeruddin Shah’s Massom Gawah (1990), which remains unreleased, and Chhoti Bahu (1994), starring Shilpa Shirodkar.

“Baig sahab shared a warm equation with Rakesh Roshan sahab. He helped Hrithik Roshan with diction, voice modulation, and dialogues since he was well-versed with these things. Baig sahab would help Hrithik with mouthing dialogues, this was much before his debut film, Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai happened,” Zaveri said.

Baig’s daughter Baby Guddu, born as Shahinda Baig, was one of the beloved child artists in Hindi cinema during the 1980s. Some of her popular films include Rajesh Khanna and Smita Patil’s Aakhir Kyon?, Sridevi-starrer Nagina, Anil Kapoor’s Pyar Kiya Hai Pyar Karenge, and Jeetendra and Sridevi’s Aulad, among others.