'Drishyam' and 'Madaari' director Nishikant Kamat passes away at age 50

Nishikant Kamat, known for his films Drishyam and Madaari, has passed away. The 50-year-old had been admitted to the intensive care unit of AIG Hospitals in Hyderabad for the treatment of chronic liver disease.

AIG hospitals, where he was undergoing treatment, issued a statement that he passed away due to multiple organ failure at 4.24 pm on Monday. 

Nishikant had been admitted to AIG Hospitals on July 31 with complaints of fever and excessive fatigue. It was then diagnosed that he was suffering from liver cirrhosis for the past two years. 

“Initially, we started antibiotics and supportive medications upon which Mr. Kamat showed improvement, but his condition soon deteriorated with progressive liver dysfunction and drowsiness. He was immediately shifted to the ICU, where his general condition gradually declined,” the hospital said.  

The statement added that on Sunday, he developed respiratory failure and hypotension. 

“Despite maximum efforts from hepatologists, gastroenterologists, pulmonologists and intensivists, his condition deteriorated eventually leading to multiple organ failure. Today, from afternoon onwards his vital parameters started declining and at 1624 hrs he succumbed to his illness,” the hospital added. 

Earlier rumours of his death had circulated on social media but actor Riteish Deshmukh had dismissed reports then. At the time, the hospital had stated that he was critically ill and there was a ‘50-50 chance of his recovery.’

Kamat made his directorial debut with the Marathi film Dombivali Fast in 2005. His Bollywood debut was the 2008 movie Mumbai Meri Jaan, starring Irrfan and R Madhavan. Kamat also played the negative role in John Abraham-starrer Rocky Handsome in 2016, which he also directed. His biggest hit was the Ajay Devgn-Tabu starrer Drishyam, which was a remake of the Malayalam movie of the same name.

(Note: An earlier version of this article incorrectly mentioned the time of his passing as 6.24 pm, instead of 1624 hours. The error is deeply regretted.)