MUMBAI: Veteran filmmaker Robert Altman who influenced film narrative with classics like Nashville and Short Cuts has passed away. He was 81 years old and died in a Los Angeles hospital.

Altman was known for his experimental style. One of his unique traits including his last film released a few monthsd back A Prairie Home Companion was overlapping dialogue. Another trait was having multiple storylines skillfyully interwoven into one another with a large ensemble cast. The subjects varied. There was Nashville which looked at country music. Short Cuts dealt with life in Los Angeles. Gosford Park was a classy British film about a murder and secrets as well as class conflict. The one challenge in these films particularly Gosford Park is that the viewer has to pay careful attention.

Altman like Martin Scorcese never won an Oscar. However he was given a lifetime achievement Oscar at this year's ceremony by Meryl Streep and Lily Tomlin who both star in A Prarie Home Companion.

Tommy Lee Jones who also starred in that film says that Altman was very good at letting actors think that they had more control than they actually did.