Nirmal Pandey actor known for his roles in Iss Raat Ki Subah Nahin and Bandit Queen, died on yesterday afternoon because of  massive heart attack at the middle age of 48 years.

“Actually, Nirmal was almost dead when he was brought to our hospital around 3.15 pm. He was completely unconscious and his vital parameters were almost at zero level.”

The hospital official added that they might do a post-mortem, if Nirmal’s relatives allowed it. “We have not taken a decision yet.” Nirmal had married writer Kausar Munir in 1997, but they reportedly separated a few years later.

Shekhar Kapoor, who directed Nirmal in Bandit Queen, was shell shocked. “That’s terrible news. I have some very fond memories of Nirmal.”

Nirmal was last seen in the Telugu movie Kedi, starring Nagarjuna, which released last week. In fact, today Nirmal was supposed to shoot for Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan’s film Lahore.

Said a shaken Chauhan, “He was to spend the whole of Friday and Saturday with me.”

Chauhan further said that Nirmal was quite happy in life. “Nirmal had settled down and married a girl called Archana after his divorce from his first wife, Kausar Munir. I am a debutant director and he was very supportive of me. He was a hardworking actor. I was horrified to learn that someone as young as him died of a heart attack. Life is so uncertain. It’s a big blow to his family,” added Chauhan.