Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek attend funeral of ad icon Piyush Pandey in Mumbai

Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan and his son Abhishek Bachchan paid their final respects to legendary adman Piyush Pandey, who passed away on Friday due to pneumonia complications. The funeral was held on Saturday at Shivaji Park Crematorium, where family, friends, and industry colleagues gathered to bid farewell to the creative visionary.

The Bachchan family paid final respects

Dressed in traditional white, Amitabh and Abhishek were seen offering condolences to Pandey’s sister, singer-actor Ila Arun, and her family. In videos from the venue, Amitabh was seen folding his hands as a mark of respect, briefly interacting with Ila Arun’s daughter Ishitta Arun before leaving the site with Abhishek.

Also Read: Drishyam 3: Here's why Paresh Rawal rejected Ajay Devgn’s thriller

Also Read: Why won’t Stree 3 release in 2026? Dinesh Vijan reveals the real reason

Amitabh's note for Piyush Pandey

Amitabh, who shared a close professional bond with Pandey, penned an emotional note on his blog after learning of his demise. Calling him a “creative genius, amiable friend, and guide,” Bachchan wrote, “No words to express our grief… The creative works left behind by him shall ever be an eternal emblem of his immeasurable creativity. Shocked! Speechless!!”

The two had collaborated on several government campaigns, including the iconic ‘Do Boond Zindagi Ki’ polio awareness initiative and the ‘Khushboo Gujarat Ki’ tourism series, which featured Amitabh as the face of the campaign.

Also Read: Munna Bhai 3 in WORKS! Arshad Warsi gives major update on Sanjay Dutt's movie

Tributes from across the country

Tributes poured in from across the country as the news of Pandey’s passing spread. Shah Rukh Khan remembered him as someone who “carried his genius so lightly,” while Anand Mahindra praised his “hearty laugh and irrepressible zest for life,” adding that Pandey’s work taught everyone that “even in the serious business of persuasion, joy and humanity must never be forgotten.”

Who was Piyush Pandey

Piyush Pandey, 70, began his journey with Ogilvy & Mather India (now Ogilvy India) in 1982 as a trainee account executive before moving into creative work. Over the next four decades, he transformed the Indian advertising landscape, creating timeless campaigns such as Asian Paints’ ‘Har Khushi Mein Rang Laaye’, Cadbury’s ‘Kuch Khaas Hai’, and Fevicol’s iconic ‘Egg’ film.

Also Read: Amaal Mallik to leave Bigg Boss 19 house due to health reason? Reports

His brilliance earned him global recognition. In 2004, he became the first Asian jury president at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, and later received the CLIO Lifetime Achievement Award (2012). In 2016, he was honoured with the Padma Shri, becoming the first Indian advertising professional to receive the national award. Pandey also made a brief foray into cinema, appearing in Shoojit Sircar’s 2013 film Madras Cafe.