Veteran Actor Pradeep Rawat, Known for ‘Gajini’ and ‘Lagaan’, Dies at 74 After Cancer Battle
India: Veteran Indian actor Pradeep Rawat, best remembered for his powerful performances in *Gajini* and the Oscar-nominated *Lagaan*, passed away on Tuesday evening at the age of 74 after a prolonged battle with blood cancer.
Rawat’s manager, Siddharth Tiwari, confirmed the news, stating that the actor had been battling the disease for about five years. Although he had recovered earlier, the cancer relapsed a few months ago. He had been hospitalised for over a month, first at Mumbai’s Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital and later shifted to a facility in Bhiwandi. His condition deteriorated suddenly when his platelet count dropped critically, and he breathed his last around 6:00–6:30 pm on August 4.
The news was first shared by his Lagaan co-star Yashpal Sharma, who posted a heartfelt tribute: “Pradeep Rawat, our Ghajini, Deva of Lagaan, RIP.”
Rawat rose to prominence with his portrayal of Ashwatthama in B.R. Chopra’s iconic television series Mahabharat. Over a career spanning more than four decades, he became one of Indian cinema’s most recognisable character actors and villains, working across Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and other industries. Notable films include Sarfarosh, the Tamil and Hindi versions of Gajini, where he played the menacing antagonist, and Lagaan as Deva Singh Sodhi.
He is survived by his wife Kalyani and son Vikramaditya. His funeral is scheduled for Wednesday evening in Mumbai, with mortal remains to be kept at his Goregaon residence for final respects.
