Mrinal Sen took his last breath at 10.30 am after a prolonged battle with age-related ailments, family sources said. "Sen passed away today around 10.30 am due to age-related ailments," a family member said. He is survived by his son. His wife, actor Geeta Sen, passed away last year. The auteur, who has won multiple national awards, was known for his artistic depiction of social reality.

The iconic director who started the "new wave of Indian cinema" with "Bhuvan Shome", was one of the most acclaimed filmmakers to bring recognition to country's film industry on international platforms. His 1982 Bengali film "Kharij" won the jury prize at the 1983 Cannes Film Festival. A career spanning for more than six decades, Sen was one of the greatest ambassadors of parallel cinema directing films in both Bengali and Hindi.