The controversial film producer Nazim Hassan Rizvi — whose alleged role in the much-discussed Bollywood-underworld nexus case came to light during the making of his “Chori Chori, Chupke Chupke” (2001) — died at a private hospital here on Monday.

Rizwi, who had been admitted to the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital (KDAH) for treatment of undisclosed ailments, Rizvi breathed his last during his treatment at the hospital.

Informed sources in Bollywood said that Rizwi’s body was being taken to Uttar Pradesh for final rites.

Apart from Chori Chori, Chupke Chupke” (CCCC) featuring Salman Khan, Rani Mukherjee and Preity Zinta, Rizwi had produced films like “Majboor Ladki” (1991), “Apaatkal” (1993), “Angarvaadi” (1998), “Undertrial” (2007), "CC,CC" (2001), “Hello, Hum Lallan Bol Rahe Hain” (2010), “Qasam Se, Qasam Se”, (2011), and “Laden Aala Re Aala” (2017).

It may be recalled that the leaked transcript of a 45-minute telephonic conversation between Pakistan-based underworld ganglord Chhota Shakeel and four film personalities, including actor Sanjay Dutt, Mahesh Manjrekar and Harish Sugandh, had in 2002 ripped the lid off a well-established nexus between the underworld and the Bollywood. Among other things,  Shakeel was heard abusing Salman Khan in the tape, by alluding to Chori Chori Chupke Chupke (CCCC), in which Salman stars with Preity Zinta. He said: "Woh khali nange pehalwan to charbi chadi thi to maine phone kiya tha, bas."

What was significant is that the telephonic conversation between Shakeel, Sanjay and three others were taped a month before the producer of CCCC Nazeem Rizwi and his assistant Abdul Rahim Khan were arrested in the second and third week of December, 2000 respectively.

The film's financier Bharat Shah was arrested under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act on January 8, 2001 and was later released on bail. One of the allegations made during that period was that ganglord Chhota Shakeel's henchman Anjum Fazlani had threatened Salman to reduce his fee for producer Nazim Rizvi's movie 'Chori Chori Chupke Chupke' or face dire consequences.

Rizwi and Shah had faced charges of receiving funds from Chhota Shakeel. Rizvi had been under surveillance for several months before his  alleged nexus with the underworld. The Mumbai Police and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had seized the film's negatives and prints, and deposited them with the Special MCOCA Court in Mumbai.

The CCCC was finally released following the Special Court’s order. The Court had in its order said that the profits earned by “CCCC” should go to the treasury of the Maharashtra Government.