GUWAHATI: Veteran actor Pradeep Rawat, best known for his performances in Ghajini, Lagaan and BR Chopra's Mahabharat, passed away on Tuesday, August 4, after battling cancer. He was 74.
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Rawat breathed his last at around 6 PM while undergoing treatment at a cancer hospital in Bhiwandi. He was initially admitted to Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai before being shifted for specialised treatment around 10 days ago. He is survived by his wife and son, Vikramaditya.
The actor first gained widespread recognition for portraying Ashwatthama in the iconic television series Mahabharat. He later became one of Indian cinema's most recognisable character actors, appearing in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam films.
Rawat earned immense appreciation for playing the menacing villain in the Tamil blockbuster Ghajini (2005), a role he reprised opposite Aamir Khan in the 2008 Hindi remake. He had earlier shared screen space with Aamir Khan in the Oscar-nominated film Lagaan (2001).
With a career spanning more than three decades, Rawat featured in several acclaimed films including Sarfarosh, The Hero: Love Story of a Spy, Sye, Stalin, Veeram, 1: Nenokkadine, Sarrainodu and Nene Raju Nene Mantri. His Telugu debut came with SS Rajamouli's Sye (2004).
Actor Yashpal Sharma paid tribute to Rawat on social media, remembering him as a respected colleague and talented performer whose work left a lasting impact on Indian cinema.