Advertising legend Piyush Pandey passed away on Friday at the age of 70. Known for creating some of India’s most iconic campaigns, including Luna Moped, Fevicol, Cadbury, and Asian Paints, Pandey had been suffering from an infection.
Piyush Pandey's Niece Ishita Arun Pens Emotional Tribute
Actress Ishita Arun, daughter of Ila Arun, took to Instagram to share heartfelt memories of her uncle. She revealed that when Piyush first came to Mumbai, it was her mother who realised his talent was being wasted in Calcutta and insisted he move. Piyush then lived with Ila and her husband for the first five years in their small two-bedroom flat in Santacruz. Ishita recalled that Piyush was her first and only roommate.
Ishita added, "One day, he lost his patience and said, 'Main tumhe ulta pankhe se latka doonga.' For me, it was Tuesday. For him, a breakdown. Being the drama queen I was, I told my teacher, who promptly called my mother and asked, 'Is there a man in your house threatening to hang your daughter upside down?' Yes, there was. His name was Piyush Pandey, my first roommate, my first critic and my forever favourite human."
While recalling her childhood memories, Ishita shared that she grew up orbiting Piyush’s brilliance, from OBM parties in their modest home and Sunday matches played like World Cups to starring in her first ad commercial at the age of three under his direction. She fondly described herself as Piyush’s 'blue-eyed baby,' saying he watched her grow even as she witnessed his genius, a spark that never dimmed, even when the world hailed him as a legend.
"He was protective, funny, sharp and brutally honest. When I was getting married, my mother told him I was marrying Dhruv from the Dhruv-and-Ashu duo of Smoke Music. He opened the door, looked me dead in the eye, and said, 'Which one- the fat one or the thin one?' That was Mama- irreverent, affectionate and never boring," shared Ishita.
Ishita further stated that she will always be proud to have been his first roommate in Mumbai and his niece for life, adding that there will never be another like him, part warmth, part mischief, and full-time original.
"So Mama, like you always said- 'Haan bhai, front foot pe khelo.' I promise, I'll keep singing- maybe not so loudly this time, but definitely on the front foot. Because you taught us- brilliance isn't in winning the match, it's in showing up, fearless, on the front foot," concluded Ishita.
