His oeuvre is awesome. N.C.Sippy, the veteran film producer, passed away on November 25, 2001 after a prolonged illness at the Holy Spirit hospital in Mumbai. His elder son, director Romu Sippy, told Filmfare, "He always kept a low-key profile. Dad preferred quiet evenings with friends and the family. After working nine-to-five at the office, he'd unwind at home. He lived his life exactly the way he wanted to."

Romu narrates how his father refused to attend the Filmfare Awards function when he won the Best Film trophy for Anand. He sent a family member to collect the trophy because he was too shy to go on stage to receive it. N.C.Sippy crossed over to Mumbai from Karachi in 1946. With the help of comedian Gope, he secured work as a production manager. His first film production was Talaq directed by Mahesh Kaul and written by Pandit Mukhram Sharma. "It was a bold film, on divorce, for the early '50s," says Romu. Followed Miyan Biwi Raazi and Deewana.

Next came Bin Badal Barsaat, Aashirwad, Parwana and Santan. When Sippy set out to make Anand with Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Hrishida who'd seen Amitabh Bachchan in Parwana, insisted on casting him as the doctor. The Sippy-Hrishitda jodi went on to collaborate on such unforgettable films as Guddi, Milli, Bawarchi, Chupke Chupke, Golmaal and Khubsoorat.

N.C.Sippy gave Gulzar his break as a director with Mere Apne. The two also made Koshish and Achanak. The Sippy-Mehmood association yielded Bombay To Goa, Do Phool, Sadhu Aur Shaitan and Padosan. N.C.Sippy was also responsible for the first Hindi colour film shot in Cinemascope, Pyar Ki Pyaas.

Sippy Sr suffered a paralytic stroke in 1982. He recovered for a while but the second one in 1988 severely curbed his mobility and physical co-ordination. He lost his will to live after his wife's death on December 6, 1998. After that, he never spoke and communicated only through lines written on chits of paper.