Veteran actor Pradeep Rawat passed away on Tuesday, August 4, at the age of 74. The news was confirmed by actor Yashpal Sharma, who paid tribute on Instagram, writing: "Pradeep Rawat Our Gajini Deva of Lagaan, RIP."
Health Struggles and Final Days
Rawat had previously been diagnosed with stomach cancer but had been given the all-clear. According to his manager Siddharth Tiwari, he remained healthy until earlier this year, when he relapsed and was diagnosed with blood cancer.
"In May, he had some discomfort, and he started losing a lot of weight. Then, again, we had tests which confirmed blood cancer this time. In July, on a gastroenterologist’s advice, he was admitted for 2-3 weeks in Kokilaben. He was then shifted to a cancer speciality hospital in Bhiwandi for about 10 days for treatment of blood cancer," Tiwari told Indianexpress.com.
"Unfortunately, his platelet count dropped to 6,000 per microlitre… very low. His white blood cells had shot up, and his immune system had become very weak, and he died," he added.
Family's Final Moments
Rawat's son Vikramaditya shared details of his father's last moments during the funeral rites. Speaking to media, he said: "We rushed outside the ICU. All the doctors were inside. I opened the door and saw them giving him CPR. That's when I understood. Then my mum started crying. That's it."
Career and Legacy
Rawat's career spanned over four decades across Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali, Bhojpuri, Nepali, and Marathi cinema. He debuted in the early 1980s and gained fame as Ashwatthama in the TV series Mahabharat. His most recent appearance was in this year's film Aa Bata Aama.
Known for his villainous roles, he won several awards, including the Filmfare Best Villain Award (Telugu), Santosham Best Villain Award, and the Nandi Award for Best Villain for his role in Sye (2004).
Tributes
Fans and colleagues paid tribute. One former co-star wrote: "I’ve had the greatest privilege of working with this fine artist...Those who know you know what a journey you have had & I shall always cherish our memories and learnings from you! You lived like a lion, now rest in peace. Thank you for entertaining the world. Om shanti."
Another added: "Got an opportunity to work with you in 2 films in a row... Your absence will always be a heartfelt tribute to the film industry Pradeep, rest in peace Pradeep Rawat."
A fan commented: "First, I saw him in Lagaan, where he delivered a truly mind-blowing performance. Then I watched him in a South Indian film, and once again, he completely owned the screen. A truly versatile actor. Sad that he's no longer with us."
