Filmfare award-winning writer and noted author Manu Bhandari breathed her last on Monday in Gurgaon. She was 90.
Manu Bhandari's writings inspired multiple movies not just for the silver screen but for the small screen, too. Many of her books and stories were adapted as television films for the Doordarshan era. Of the most notable Hindi feature films were director Basu Chatterjee's ‘Rajnigandha’ (1974) adapted from her story titled Yehi Sach Hai and ‘Swami’ (1977) for which Bhandari wrote the dialogues.
The feature film ‘Samay Ki Dhara’ (1986) was adapted from her second novel ‘Aap Ka Bunty’ but it ran into trouble when Bhandari sued the makers over creative differences.
Apart from these, her stories Akeli, Trishanku, Mahabhoj, Nasha and Rani Maa Ka Chabutara were all adapted into telefilm by various filmmakers.