Lioness Season 3's Rajeev Malhotra Tribute Explained

Those who watched the "Lioness" Season 3 finale were met with a devastating reveal about Joe McNamara's (Zoe Saldaña) abduction, but also a touching tribute to someone who worked behind the scenes on the Taylor Sheridan show. "This episode is dedicated to the memory of Rajeev Malhotra with the deepest appreciation for his tireless commitment and unwavering support," a tribute card at the end of the episode reads. "You will be missed, my friend." The acknowledgement prompted curiosity from viewers, who wondered what connection Malhotra had to the Paramount+ series.

Malhotra was a producer on "Lioness," working on the second and third seasons of the show. According to a GoFundMe campaign set up on behalf of his long-term partner, Catherine Jordan, Malhotra died in hospital with his loved ones by his side. "Rajeev passed peacefully on July 28 at 1:17pm at Cedars Sinai Cardiac ICU, surrounded by his father who is 94, his brother, his nephew, two cousins, Catherine, and Chad Galster," the description confirmed.

Chad Galster, an editor who worked on "Lioness," was one of more than 20 co-workers who visited Malhotra in hospital. According to producer and cartoonist David Derks, he had a heart attack. "From what I was told, he became very ill last week but, true to his character, he pushed through one of the relentless production schedules that television demands to make sure episodes were delivered," Derks wrote on Instagram. "After going to Cedars-Sinai, doctors discovered he had suffered a heart attack. A few days later, he was gone."

Rajeev Malhotra helped bring more than one Taylor Sheridan show to life. His association with Sheridan dates back to the second season of "Yellowstone," when he served as an associate producer on the episode "Sins of the Father," which made TVLine's ranking of the best-ever "Yellowstone" episodes. He held that same title throughout Season 3, became a co-producer for Season 4, and was ultimately credited as a producer on Season 5.

During that time, Malhotra began working on other Taylor Sheridan shows, first on the "Yellowstone" prequel series "1883" and then the follow-up "1923." He started producing both "Lioness" and "Landman" in 2024, and his final collaboration with Sheridan was in 2026, with Malhotra serving as a producer on the Michelle Pfeiffer-led miniseries "The Madison." Those that worked with Malhotra on Sheridan's shows paid their own personal tributes to him on social media.

"I wish I had one more chance to say thank you for hiring me and trusting me to work on the Yellowstone TV show back in 2020 and the continued opportunity to be a part of the Yellowstone Family with the other shows we worked on together," editor Abe Kurien wrote on Instagram. "You taught me so much and I hope that I can take the knowledge you gave me to carry on your legacy. Thank you again my friend!"