Popular Bollywood director Raj Kanwar, who launched the actors like Shahrukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra died on February 3, 2012 in Singapore. Reports say that the film maker passed away due to a kidney ailment.

Kanwar in the past has made some of the landmark films like 'Laadla', 'Deewana', 'Jeet', 'Daag : The Fire', 'Andaaz' and 'Dhai Akshar Prem Ke'. The last movie by the film maker was 'Sadiyaan' in which he had launched actor Shatrughan Sinha's son 'Luv'.

Director Anubhav Sinha said that he was in Singapore for a kidney transplant. Sevral Bollywood celebrities took their Twitter accounts and paid homage to the great director, who has contributed some great movies for Bollywood.

Raj Kanwar was also responsible for the first movie of Abhishek Bachchan, who was signed for the movie 'Refugee'. Kanwar had also made Aishwarya and Abhishek's first film together 'Dhai Akshar Prem Ke'. The director was known as a very jolly person , who always smiled and joked.

Italian American actor Ben Gazzara, known for his role of Brick in the original 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof', passed away on February 3, 2012 in Manhattan at the age of 81. Gazzara died of pancreatic cancer and lived in Manhattan.

In the early 80s, the actor spent a substantial time acting in the Italian movies. Gazzara also appeared in the 1981 adaptation of 'Tales of Ordinary Madness' by Charles Bukowski and also in 'Bandits' by Stefano Mignucci.

The actor worked in TV as well as on stage. The first significant stage role of the actor was of a two faced bully named Jocko in 'End as a Man' which is about life in a Southern military academy.

In the year 1955, Ben played the alcoholic son in 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' with Barbara Bel Geddes playing the role of Maggie. It was directed by Elia Kazan and ran till November 1956, but Gazara left before the play ended for another role in Broadway, 'A Hatful of Rain' which opened in the year 1955. Ben played the role of a dope addict named Johnny Pope and the performance made him win a Tony Award nomination.

Mr Gazzara is survived by his wife, daughter Elizabeth and a brother and adopted daughter Danja.