'Vaastu Shastra' director dies of stomach cancer

New Delhi, June 26 (IANS) Sourabh Narang, best known for directing horror film 'Vaastu Shastra', Saturday died of stomach cancer in Sri Lanka. He was 37.

A friend of the actor posted on Narang's Facebook account: 'I regret to inform everyone that our dear friend Sourabh Usha Narang passed away in Colombo this morning (Saturday) after a protracted and courageous battle with cancer.'

Credited with directing TV shows like 'Haqeeqat' and 'Shhh... Koi Hai', Narang was undergoing treatment in Colombo.

'The services are going to be held Monday (June 28),' the friend added.

Acclaimed filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt mourned the death of the young filmmaker.

'I mourn the death of a bright young filmmaker. I worked with him on 'Haqeeqat' - a show on human rights violation. I still remember Sourabh's last words to me - 'I am going to survive this sir', he said with a shy smile. Something told me he would not,' Bhatt posted on micro-blogging site Twitter.

Producer Guneet Monga of 'Kavi' fame, who was a junior to Narang at Bluebells International School here, said she was shocked.

'Sourabh was a school senior and such a lovable person. He was a brilliant filmmaker and there was still so much we wanted to see from him. He was extremely talented and we will really miss him,' Monga told IANS on phone from Mumbai.

After his schooling, Narang went on to study at the St. Stephen's College and then pursued a mass communication course from the Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi.

In an interview to a website in 2002, he was asked: 'Where do you see yourself 10 years down the line?'

Narang replied: 'Given the amount I smoke, I should be dead.'