Tributes pour in for late actor Farooq Shaikh

Tributes poured in for late actor and theatre personality Farooq Shaikh on Saturday, hours after it was reported that he had died of a heart attack in Dubai.

Senior BJP leader Balbir Punj said: "I remember Farooq Shaikh's smiling face. I believe Hindi cinema has experienced a great loss with his demise."

Congress leader Meem Afzal said: " I am very sad, as he was an old friend. I find very few people as talented, knowledgeable and as socially active as him. He was always concerned about social issues. His only condition for extending any kind of help was that his name should not come out."

"This is an aspect of his life that I have hardly seen in any other individual. It is not just a loss to the film industry, but for the entire nation," he added.

"It is a very sad news. I had a chance to share the stage with him. He was an immensely talented soul for both the stage and big cinema. I express my deep sadness," Afzal said further.

Film director Madhur Bhandarkar said: "Farooqji will remain in our hearts always.He was the symbol of the young middle class man."

"Its shocking.He(Farooq Shaikh) was a thorough gentleman. Through his characters and ability, he was loved by millions," said BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar.

Congress leader Rajiv Shukla said: " I don't think we will get another actor like Farooq Shaikh. It is a big loss."

"Its come as a shock. He(Farooq Shaikh) was a genius and a gem of a person.