Rest in peace Nirmal Pandey, says Bollywood

Bollywood stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Riteish Deshmukh and Jackie Shroff have expressed their grief at the sudden demise of actor Nirmal Pandey following a cardiac arrest.

"Will miss Nirmal Pandey. Great talent. May his soul rest in peace. Simple and a nice guy. Wonderfully quirky actor. Wish had worked with him more," Khan wrote on Twitter.

SRK had worked with Pandey in the 2001 film One Two Ka Four alongwith actor Jackie Shroff.

Shroff also mourned the death of his co-star. "I am shocked by the sudden news! It is very sad. He was a charming person and an excellent actor. We had worked together many years ago and I lost touch with him after that, but I am with his family if they need me," Shroff said.

Pandey was 46 and is survived by his wife and two children. Family sources said the actor was not keeping well for sometime and breathed his last at a private hospital on Thursday.

Riteish Deshmukh offered his condolences, tweeting, "RIP Nirmal Pandey- we lost a good actor."

A graduate from the National School of Drama (NSD), Pandey is best known for films likeBandit Queen,Iss Raat Ki Subah NahinandPyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya.

Actor Anupam Kher expressed his grief on Twitter, writing, "I am so shocked and sad at the sudden death of Nirmal Pandey. He was a wonderful actor. I liked his casual stance towards life. Sad. RIP."

Actress Lara Dutt joined the other Bollywood personalities in mourning Pandey.

"Shocked to hear of actor Nirmal Pandey's death. Condolences and prayers to his family. RIP," she wrote on the micro-blogging site.

The actor had established a niche playing negative characters on the big screen as well as on television and won the 'Best Actress' Valenti award in France in 1996 for his turn as a transvestite in Amol Palekar'sDaayraa.

Noted director Madhur Bhandarkar also paid his tribute to the talented actor, writing, "RIP Nirmal Pandey, who was a great actor and gave some memorable performances. He will always be there in our hearts. May his soul rest in peace."

Actor Irrfan Khan, who was Pandey's senior at NSD, said that he was "deeply saddened" by the sudden death.

"I remember him as a handsome guy. He was not just a good actor but also an excellent singer. I had not been in touch with him for some time, but the news is saddening," Irrfan said.

Filmmaker, Tigmanshu Dhulia, who was Pandey's NSD batchmate and helped him in getting his big break in Shekhar Kapoor's Bandit Queen said, "He was a huge bundle of talent and clean hearted. He was my batchmate at NSD and everybody remembers him as a lively person. The news is sad and shocking.