Jaya Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Shabana Azmi attend Rakesh Kumar's prayer meet

Jaya Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan and Shabana Azmi were among the Bollywood celebrities who attended the prayer meet for late filmmaker Rakesh Kumar in Andheri, Mumbai on Sunday. According to reports, the filmmaker died after a long battle with cancer on Thursday. He was in his 80s.

Jaya Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan left from the prayer meet in separate cars. Shabana Azmi was also spotted upon her arrival.

Rakesh Kumar served as assistant director on Prakash Mehra's 1973 blockbuster Zanjeer before foraying into direction with Khoon Pasina in 1977. His film credits also include films such as Commander, Kaun Jeeta Kaun Haara and Suryavanshi. He is survived by his wife, son and daughter.

Rakesh Kumar was known for directing films like Mr. Natwarlal, Do Aur Do Paanch and Yaarana, all starring Amitabh Bachchan. The actor recently wrote in his blog about his hesitation to attend his last rites. “No I shall hesitate to go to his funeral... for I shall not be able to bear the sight of an inert Rakesh! You made many of us prominent with your innovative ideas for story and film, Rakesh, and you shall ever be remembered,” he wrote in his blog.

He mentioned how he rose from film to another and added, "One by one they all leave... But some like Rakesh leave an imprint that is hard to remove or forget... his sense of screenplay and direction, writing and execution on the spur of the moment and the fun times on location during Nattu and Yaarana .. his complete faith in his worth... and the ease with which he would grant us the liberty of skipping shootings on the odd day, just to be able to spend time relaxing fooling around and being in the company of uncontrollable laughter and gaiety..."