Vijay Anand sparked a row over special ratings for films with explicit content.

Mr Anand, who was popularly known as Goldie, was the younger brother of legendary actor-director Dev Anand.

The two produced a number of Bollywood hits such as Guide, Jewel Thief and Johnny Mera Naam (My name is Johnny).

The 72-year-old filmmaker was admitted to a hospital in Bombay (Mumbai) after he complained of chest pain, a senior hospital official told AFP news agency.

He had suffered a heart attack previously, the official said.

Anand had announced plans for a new film with his elder brother two weeks ago.

Bollywood classic

Anand was the youngest of four siblings and like his elder brothers Chetan and Dev Anand was drawn to the big screen.

He directed, acted in and produced over 20 films.

The high point of his career was the 1965 film Guide, which he directed. It became of one India's most successful films ever.

Based on an English novel by famous Indian writer RK Narayan, Guide is the story of a tourist guide who falls in love with a married woman. It is regarded as a Bollywood classic.

With its star cast, that included Dev Anand as the hero, and popular catchy songs, Guide also inspired an American version and won several awards.

"Vijay was a great inspiration to directors. His command over the medium was tremendous. I still haven't seen a film to match Guide," Bollywood director Madhur Bhandarkar told an Indian television news channel.

Anand became the chief of India's film censor board three years ago and kicked up a controversy with a proposal to assign special ratings to films with explicit content.

He often talked about his wish for a "rational and global" approach to film censorship in India.

He resigned within a year after taking charge of the censor board after facing widespread criticism of his moves.