Maska, Bhaag Beanie Bhaag producer Seher Aly Latif passes away

In 2020, Seher Aly Latif bankrolled Swara Bhasker's Netflix series Bhaag Beanie Bhaag under her production house Mutant Films.

Seher Aly Latif, known for producing Swara Bhasker’s Netflix series Bhaag Beanie Bhaag and working as a casting director for films like Lunchbox and Monsoon Shootout, passed away on Monday following a cardiac arrest. The producer, who was in her early 40s, breathed her last at Mumbai’s Lilavati hospital, where she was admitted for renal failure.

Director Neeraj Udhwani, who worked with Seher on her Netflix production Maska (2020), confirmed the news of her demise to indianexpress.com. “It’s unbelievable. It’s so hard to process. Last week only I donated blood for her and I was told she was recovering. And this morning, I got to know about it. She had an infection due to which she suffered renal failure. She was admitted to the hospital last weekend. Doctors had put on her antibiotics, and we thought she was recovering.”

Her collaborators from Bollywood mourned her demise with emotional social media posts. Lunchbox star Nimrat Kaur shared a photo of Seher with her cat, and tweeted that the late producer was “one of the kindest people” Mumbai gifted her with. “One of the kindest, most loving people Mumbai gifted my life with. Still trying to process this unreal news…. Travel on into the light my dearest, sweetest Seher. The unpredictable, ghastly shortness of life remains baffling… Await to meet you on the other side,” read Nimrat Kaur’s tweet.

Actor Nikita Dutta, who starred in Maska, wrote that she found the news of Seher Aly Latif’s demise unbelievable. “The heaven will be blessed with your mushy hugs and infectious smile. Still can’t fathom this though.@smwhtlatelatif,” Nikita wrote alongside a photo of herself and Seher.

Seher Aly Latif began her career as a casting director. Seher not only cast for Indian films, like Lunchbox, Shakuntala Devi and Bhaag Beanie Bhaag, but also worked on international projects. Some of her international credits include Eat Pray Love, Furious 7, Viceroy’s House, McMafia and Sense 8. She was also the executive producer on movies like Akshay Kumar’s Gold, Vidya Balan-led Shakuntala Devi and Noblemen.

Her first production was the short film Masterchef helmed by Lunchbox director Ritesh Batra for the Sundance Institute. In 2016, she and producer Shivani Saran founded Mutant Films, which has so far produced Netflix film Maska and Bhaag Beani Bhaag.

Recalling his experience of working with Seher Aly Latif , Neeraj said she was not only a supportive producer but also someone who epitomised kindness. “Her default expression was a smile. You would always find her smiling. She was one of the nicest, kindest people I ever met. I didn’t know her and Shivani before Netflix introduced me to them to collaborate on Maska. Seher also helped me with casting for the film. This is tragic.”

Seher Aly Latif is survived by her husband and parents.

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