Actor Pradeep Rawat passed away on August 4 at the age of 74 after his cancer relapsed. His funeral was held in Mumbai on Wednesday evening, and who’s who from the industry attended the last rites, including director Ashutosh Gowariker and actor Aamir Khan. Salman Khan also mourned the actor’s death on social media.
The Lagaan team, including Aamir, Yashpal Sharma, Daya Shankar Pandey, Rajendra Gupta and Ashutosh, attended Pradeep’s funeral on Wednesday evening. They looked emotional as they bid adieu to the actor, who played Deva Singh Sodhi in the hit film. Aamir also met Pradeep’s family members and offered his heartfelt condolences. The two had also worked together in the blockbuster Ghajini.
Salman, who starred with Pradeep in the 1990 romantic drama Baaghi, shared a still from the film on Instagram Stories and wrote, “Shared many good moments with you brother.. May you rest in peace.”
“I am at a loss for words. Bhagwan unki aatma ko shanti de. Woh hamesha humari yaadon mein zinda rahenge (He will live on in our memories),” said Yashpal, who broke the news of Pradeep’s death on Tuesday.
Surendra Pal, who also attended the funeral, said, “I shared a very close bond with Pradeep. We lived in the same building, and he was not just a brilliant actor but also a wonderful human being. He delivered many memorable performances throughout his career, and his role in Ghajini remains one of his most iconic and widely loved performances.”
Several other photos and videos from the funeral also went viral. One clip showed Pradeep’s son in tears as he performed his father’s last rites. Pradeep’s wife, Kalyani Rawat, was also inconsolable as she mourned her husband, while family members and loved ones tried to comfort her.
Vikramaditya spoke to the media at the funeral and revealed what happened to his father. He said the family initially believed the actor was suffering from a minor stomach infection before doctors diagnosed him with an aggressive form of blood cancer.
He said, “We went to a doctor, and they said it might be a stomach infection or something. They gave him a lot of medicines, but none of them worked. My mom said that his health had deteriorated. We got a blood test done, and his white blood cell count was very high. We immediately took him to Kokilaben Hospital, where the doctors told us there was a 99 per cent chance it was blood cancer.”
He revealed that the diagnosis was confirmed a day later, leaving the family devastated. Vikramaditya added that Pradeep’s reports had been normal just two months earlier.
Fighting back tears, he said, “Yesterday his platelets dropped to 3,000; platelets should be above 3 lakhs. 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.”
He added, “I’m sure he’s in a better place. He would be happy that so many people showed up. I’m sure he’s very happy. Thank you very much.”
Pradeep Rawat’s death
Pradeep was a prominent face in the Indian film industry and was known for his performances in films such as Sarfarosh, Lagaan, Sye, Naayak and Ghajini, among others. He was 74 when he died after being hospitalised following a relapse of cancer. He is survived by his wife, Kalyani Rawat, and their son, Vikramaditya Rawat.