Eminent film critic, curator and writer Aruna Vasudev, widely known as the “Mother of Asian Cinema”, died on Thursday, September 4, due to age-related health issues, her close friend Neerja Sareen confirmed. Vasudev, 88, was undergoing treatment at the multi-speciality hospital for three weeks. “She was unwell for some time. She had Alzheimer’s and was suffering from several age-related health complications,” Sareen said.

Aruna Vasudev, wife of late diplomat Sunil Roy Choudhary, is survived by her daughter Yamini Roy Choudhary, a graphic designer and wife of politician Varun Gandhi. Her last rites took place at 3 pm on September 4 at the Lodhi Road crematorium.

Vasudev’s remarkable journey saw him emerge as a leading figure in global cinema. Throughout his life, he played many roles – film critic, writer, editor, painter, documentary filmmaker and trustee – passionately advocating for Asian cinema. Based in Delhi, Vasudev founded ‘Cinemaya: The Asian Film Quarterly’ and established NETPAC, an international organisation that has been supporting Asian films for nearly three decades.

Tributes have flooded social media. Veteran actor Shabana Azmi expressed her grief, saying, “She was a pioneer in making Asian films a genre that could be talked about as distinct. She has many achievements to her name but I will always remember her for her warmth and bright smile. Her comments were always insightful and I loved being with her. My condolences to her family. May dear Aruna’s soul rest in peace.”

Film critic and author Namrata Joshi also paid tribute, writing, “Growing up in the Delhi of the 80s-90s, world cinema – especially from Asia and the Arab world – came to our home for the first time, due to the tireless efforts of Aruna and Latika Padgaonkar through the Cinefan Film Festival and Cinemaya magazine.”

Filmmaker Sania Hashmi echoed these sentiments and thanked Vasudev for organising one of the best film festivals in Delhi: “Rest in peace Aruna ma’am… Thank you for organising one of the best film festivals in Delhi. So many of us were exposed to the best cinema in the world because of you.”

In addition to his work in film criticism, Vasudev has directed or produced over 20 documentaries and edited or co-edited several books, including a translation of Jean-Claude Carrier’s ‘In Search of the Mahabharata’.

He also served as a board member of the Alliance Française de Delhi and maintains strong ties with France, where he earned a PhD in Cinema from the University of Paris, Sorbonne. His contribution to cinema was recognised by the French government, which honoured him with prestigious awards including Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2019 and Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2002.