Latest news with #MaheshJirawala
Hindustan Times
8 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Ahmedabad filmmaker missing, feared dead in plane crash; was neither onboard nor in hostel
A local filmmaker has been reported missing since the Air India plane crash in Gujarat's Ahmedabad, with his family fearing he may be among those killed on the ground. Although he was not among the 242 passengers on board the ill-fated flight, his mobile phone location was last traced to within 700 metres of the crash site, and he has not been seen since. Mahesh Kalawadia, also known as Mahesh Jirawala, a resident of Naroda who directed music albums, went missing shortly after the London-bound flight crashed into the campus of a medical college in Meghaninagar on June 12, according to news agency PTI. The crash killed 241 passengers and crew and 29 people on the ground. Also Read | New video shows lone survivor walking away as crashed plane turns into fireball His wife, Hetal Kalawadia, said her husband had called her around 1:14 pm that day to inform her that a meeting in the Law Garden area had ended and he was heading home. However, he never returned. "My husband called me at 1.14 pm to tell me his meeting is over and that he is on his way home. However, when he did not return, I called up on his phone but it was switched off," Hetal said. The family has submitted DNA samples to help authorities identify whether he was among the ground victims. Also Read | Air India crash: Former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani's mortal remains handed over to his family She added that police traced the last location of his phone to an area just 700 metres from the accident site. "His phone got switched off around 1.40 pm (a minute after the ill-fated flight took off). His scooter and mobile phone are missing. All this is unusual since he would never use that route (as per the last location) to come home," she said. Authorities have confirmed that several bodies from the crash site were severely charred or disfigured, making identification difficult. DNA testing is being used to identify the deceased. As of Sunday, 47 victims had been identified through DNA matching. (With PTI inputs)
India.com
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Who is Mahesh Jirawala? Popular filmmaker went missing after Ahmedabad Plane crash, his phone was found in…, wife thinks he was…
Film director Mahesh Kalawadia, also known as Mahesh Jirawala, has been missing since the tragic Air India plane crash that occurred on June 12, 2025, in Ahmedabad. His family has provided DNA samples after his disappearance. According to reports, his mobile location was traced to just 700 meters from the accident site. The Air India Flight Tragedy The Air India flight, carrying 242 passengers, lost radar contact at an altitude of 625 feet and crashed into the campus of a medical college in Meghaninagar just moments after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:39 PM on June 12. The disaster resulted in the deaths of 241 out of the 242 people on board, as well as 29 individuals on the ground. As per Mahesh's wife, Hetal Kalawadia, she said, 'My husband called me at 1:14 PM to say his meeting was over and that he was on his way home. However, when he did not return, I called his phone, but it was switched off. After informing the police, the last signal from his mobile phone showed he was just 700 meters away from the crash site.' For those unaware, Mahesh Jirawala had been directing music albums and was headed to meet someone in the Law Garden area that afternoon, according to his wife Hetal. Authorities are currently collecting DNA samples to help identify the victims of this tragic incident. As of Sunday, officials confirmed the identification of 47 victims through DNA matching. More about Mahesh Jirawala Mahesh Jirawala was more than just a filmmaker, he was founder and CEO of Mahesh Jirawala Productions. He earned a reputation for creating visually rich and emotionally engaging music videos and promotional films. One of his notable projects was the 2019 Gujarati film Cocktail Premi Pag Of Revenge, a dramatic narrative featuring actors Asha Panchal and Vruti Thakkar. The film received praise for its layered performances and for Mahesh's direction, which was characterized by sensitivity and flair. At personal front, Mahesh was a devoted husband and father. He lived with his wife, Hetal, and their two children, daughter and son, in Naroda, small village of Ahmedabad.
Hindustan Times
10 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Filmmaker Mahesh Jirawala missing post Ahmedabad plane crash, family in distress; everything to know
The tragic crash of an Air India flight in Ahmedabad on June 12 has left the nation in mourning. As officials confirm that 270 lives were lost in the accident, the process of identifying victims continues with 99 confirmed through DNA testing and 64 bodies handed over to grieving families. But feared to be amongst the 29 residents who lost their lives on the ground in Meghaninagar is Ahmedabad-based filmmaker Mahesh Kalawadia, popularly known as Mahesh Jirawala. His name has surfaced in connection with the crash after he went missing the same day. According to his wife, Hetal, his last known location was just 700 metres from the crash site. A post shared by Mahesh Jirawala (@mahesh_jirawala) A resident of Naroda, Mahesh Jirawala is best known for his work in Gujarati music videos and advertorials. He is the founder and CEO of Mahesh Jirawala Productions, a creative outfit that produces visual content primarily in regional languages. In 2019, he directed the film Cocktail Premi Pag Of Revenge, which starred Asha Panchal and Vruti Thakkar. Mahesh was also active on Instagram, frequently posting about upcoming projects and sharing behind-the-scenes moments from his shoots. He lived with his wife Hetal and their two children — a daughter and a son — in Naroda, a suburb of Ahmedabad. A post shared by Hetal Mahesh Jirawala (@ According to his wife, Mahesh left home on June 12 to meet someone near Law Garden. He called her at 1:14 pm to let her know he was on his way back. But when she tried to reach him at 1:40 pm — just minutes after the Air India plane took off from the Ahmedabad airport — his phone was switched off. 'His scooter and mobile phone are missing. All this is unusual since he would never use that route (as per the last location) to come home,' Hetal told PTI. The family has since submitted DNA samples to authorities in hopes of confirming whether Mahesh was among those killed when the aircraft crashed in Meghaninagar. As the investigation continues and more names are added to the heartbreaking list of victims, loved ones like Hetal are left waiting for answers.
News18
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Who Is Mahesh Jirawala? Filmmaker Missing After Ahmedabad Plane Crash
Last Updated: Gujarati filmmaker Mahesh Jirawala is feared dead in the Ahmedabad plane crash. Missing since June 12, his family awaits DNA confirmation. Here's what we know. In what continues to be one of the most devastating aviation disasters in recent memory, Ahmedabad-based filmmaker Mahesh Kalawadia—widely known in the Gujarati film industry as Mahesh Jirawala—is feared to be among the many lives lost in the tragic Air India plane crash that occurred on June 12. The London-bound aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff, leaving behind a trail of destruction in the densely populated Meghaninagar area of Ahmedabad. Mahesh, a respected director and producer known for his work in regional advertorials and music videos, has been missing since the day of the incident. According to his wife, Hetal Kalawadia, his last known location was traced to within 700 meters of the crash site. That proximity, combined with the sudden disappearance of both his mobile phone and scooter, has raised grave concerns. The crash has so far claimed 290 lives, including 271 passengers aboard the aircraft and 29 residents on the ground in Meghaninagar—many of whom were caught unawares as parts of the aircraft fell onto homes, streets, and small businesses. Rescue and recovery operations are still underway, and identification of victims remains ongoing. Mahesh's family has submitted DNA samples to assist authorities in confirming whether he is among those who perished. Mahesh Jirawala was more than a filmmaker. He was a storyteller, a cultural contributor, and a beloved figure in the Gujarati creative community. As the founder and CEO of Mahesh Jirawala Productions, he built a reputation for visually rich, emotionally resonant music videos and promotional films. His work was rooted in the local idiom, yet bore a professional polish that earned him recognition beyond state lines. Among his more notable projects was the 2019 Gujarati film Cocktail Premi Pag Of Revenge, a dramatic narrative featuring actors Asha Panchal and Vruti Thakkar. The film was lauded for its layered performances and Mahesh's direction, which was marked by sensitivity and flair. He was also an active presence on social media, where he often posted behind-the-scenes glimpses of his shoots, interactions with artists, and previews of upcoming projects. At home, Mahesh was a devoted husband and father. He lived with his wife Hetal and their two children—a daughter and a son—in Naroda, a suburb of Ahmedabad. Friends describe him as soft-spoken, grounded, and deeply committed to both his art and his family. Speaking to the Press Trust of India (PTI), Hetal recounted the last conversation she had with her husband. 'On June 12, Mahesh had gone to Law Garden to meet someone. He called me at 1:14 pm to say he was on his way back home," she said. 'I called him again at 1:40 pm, but his phone was switched off. That was just a minute after the plane took off from Ahmedabad airport." What followed was an agonizing silence. Hours turned into days. The news of the crash began to circulate widely, and Hetal's fears deepened. 'His scooter and mobile phone are still missing," she said. 'And the last location we were able to trace was not a route he would ever take to return home. None of it makes sense." The possibility that Mahesh may have been an unintentional bystander caught in the chaos of a plane crash has sent ripples through the Gujarati film fraternity. Colleagues, collaborators, and fans have taken to social media to express their disbelief and anguish, many sharing his music videos and film clips in tribute. Officials involved in the investigation have stated that the intensity of the crash has made victim identification a prolonged and painstaking process. For families like Mahesh's, each passing day without news brings both hope and dread. Until a definitive confirmation is made, they continue to wait—straining against despair, holding on to fragments of possibility. As Ahmedabad mourns its dead and the nation grapples with the aftermath, stories like Mahesh's humanize the scale of the tragedy. Behind every number in the death toll is a life—a voice silenced, a dream interrupted, a family changed forever. First Published: June 16, 2025, 14:14 IST
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Time of India
Mahesh Jirawala missing after Ahmedabad crash—was the filmmaker among the on-ground victims near the crash location?
Mahesh Kalawadia, popularly known as Mahesh Jirawala, is feared to be among the victims of the recent Air India crash in Ahmedabad. According to family statements, he has been missing since June 12—the day the London-bound plane crashed shortly after takeoff. His wife, Hetal, told PTI that Mahesh's last known location was traced to an area about 700 metres from the crash site in Meghaninagar. His phone has been unreachable since then, and he hasn't returned home. Mahesh Jirawala's career and work A resident of Naroda, Mahesh Jirawala is a known figure in Gujarat's entertainment circle. He directed several advertorials and Gujarati music videos and was the CEO of Mahesh Jirawala Productions. In 2019, he directed the Gujarati film Cocktail Premi Pag Of Revenge, featuring Asha Panchal and Vruti Thakkar. He often shared work updates on Instagram and remained active in regional cinema. Mahesh is survived by his wife Hetal and their two children—a son and a daughter. Final call and sudden disappearance According to Hetal, Mahesh had gone to Law Garden on the afternoon of June 12 to meet someone. He phoned her at 1:14 pm, informing her that he was on his way home. Just 26 minutes later, around 1:40 pm, she tried to call him back, but his phone was switched off. This was just a minute after the plane had taken off. 'His scooter and mobile phone are missing. All this is unusual since he would never use that route (as per the last location) to come home,' Hetal told PTI. Family submits DNA samples for confirmation As the official death toll from the Ahmedabad crash climbs to 290—271 passengers onboard and 29 people on the ground—Mahesh is feared to be among the on-ground victims. His family has submitted DNA samples to authorities in order to confirm whether he was one of those killed in the crash at investigations continue, Mahesh Jirawala's family waits in uncertainty, hoping for answers after the devastating crash.
