Veteran actor Pradeep Rawat, a familiar face in Indian cinema for decades, has died at 74.
He passed away in Mumbai after being admitted to Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital.
The cause of death has not been officially confirmed by his family or hospital authorities, though several media reports have linked his passing to a battle with blood cancer, which also has not been officially confirmed.
Rawat built a long career as one of Indian cinema’s most recognisable character actors, best known for playing the menacing antagonist Ghajini Dharmatma in the 2005 Tamil blockbuster Ghajini, a role he later reprised in the 2008 Hindi remake starring Aamir Khan.
He also appeared in the acclaimed film Lagaan as Deva Singh, along with a wide range of Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and Bhojpuri productions over the course of his career, becoming particularly known for his intense villainous roles.
News of his death prompted tributes from across the industry, including a post from actor Yashpal Sharma, along with an outpouring of condolences from fans on social media remembering his commanding screen presence.
