Amitabh, Abhishek Bachchan pay last respects to Ad legend Piyush Pandey in Mumbai

Veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan and his son Abhishek Bachchan attended the funeral of advertising legend Piyush Pandey in Mumbai on Saturday. Several industry colleagues and public figures, including Manoj Pahwa and Ashoke Pandit, were also present.

Ila Arun, the singer-actor and sister of the late adman, greeted those who came to pay their respects. Pandey, 70, passed away on Friday after battling pneumonia for several weeks.

In visuals from the venue, Amitabh Bachchan was seen leaving Pandey’s residence after offering condolences. He briefly interacted with Ishitta Arun, Piyush’s niece, before departing in a separate car alongside Abhishek.

The Bachchans’ presence carried personal significance — Amitabh shared a long professional relationship with Pandey, having worked with him on the Government of India’s polio eradication campaign as well as the ‘Khushboo Gujarat Ki’ tourism campaign.

On Friday, Amitabh paid tribute to Pandey through a heartfelt post on his blog, describing him as a “creative genius” and “a most amiable friend.”

“A creative genius, a most amiable friend and guide has left us. No words to express our grief... The creative works left behind by him shall ever be an eternal emblem of his immeasurable creativity,” he wrote.

Pandey’s influence on Indian advertising remains unmatched. Over a career spanning four decades, he shaped some of India’s most memorable ad campaigns — including Fevicol’s ‘Egg’ film, Cadbury’s ‘Kuch Khaas Hai’, and Asian Paints’ ‘Har Khushi Mein Rang Laaye’.

The former Ogilvy India executive chairman was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2016 and received the Legend Award at the London International Awards in 2024. In 2004, he became the first Asian to chair the Cannes Lions jury, marking a defining moment for Indian advertising on the global stage.

Pandey also made a brief foray into acting, appearing in Shoojit Sircar’s 2013 film Madras Café.

Earlier tributes poured in from across industries, with Shah Rukh Khan, Shankar Mahadevan, Vivek Oberoi, Anupam Kher, and Vivek Agnihotri among those remembering him as a creative visionary whose work redefined storytelling in Indian advertising.