The tragic death of actor Heath Ledger has left many stunned and asking “why”. At 28-years old, his life not only as an actor but as a young man was cut short. Many in the film industry in Hollywood have expressed their thoughts on the talented actor and doting father.

Some in India’s film industry have also written about the mark Ledger left on their life, namely director Shekhar Kapoor. It seems that Kapoor was the last person to have spoken to Ledger the night before he died.

Here is an excerpt from Kapoor’s blog on the Farewell, Heath Ledger post:
“I had just arrived in New York last night, he said he could not see me that night but really wanted to meet me the next day. He made me promise that I would call him in the morning and wake him up. I tried.”

Along with 20 other films to his credit since 1992, Ledger essayed the role of Harry Faversham in Kapoor’s The Four Feathers (2002). Set in Sudan in the year 1884, The Four Feathers follows British officer Harry Faversham (Heath Ledger) who resigns his post right before his regiment ships out to battle. Assuming his resignation is due to cowardice, his friends and fiancée Ethne (Kate Hudson) give him four white feathers. Yet they are unaware of the fact that he will actually go undercover as an Arab to redeem his honor.

In an interview Shekhar says, “Heath wasn’t just the star of my film The Four Feathers, he was a very dear friend.” The rest of the blog excerpt suggests that Ledger was more to Kapoor than a dear friend, as the following reveals:

“In Heath I have lost a younger brother. He was one the most gentle, the most honest , most caring, and most compassionate persons I had met. And one of the most honest actors I worked with. I often told him that he had the ability to completely bare his soul in front of the camera, and all I needed to do was make sure the camera could look into his eyes, and through his eyes, the audience could clearly look into his soul. Farewell Heath. I always knew you had an ancient soul. I always said you had a wisdom beyond your years. And somehow I always knew that your spirit was too restless. Goodbye, my brother.”

Heath Ledger (April 4, 1979 - January 22, 2008) is survived by his parents Kim and Sally, sister Kate and two-year-old daughter Matilda.

*The link to this article appeared as #1 out of 77 that were listed on The Internet Movie Database (IMDB), as of February 22, 2008*