‘Lagaan’ actor passes away at 60

Bollywood veteran actor Shrivallabh Vyas, who worked in a number of Indian movies in supporting roles, died on Sunday in his hometown of Jaipur. The 60-year-old actor had been bed-ridden for quite some time.

Shrivallabh took a break from work in 2008 after he fell sick when the actor suffered a stroke that rendered him paralyzed. The actor’s family shifted to Jaipur after that but his medical expenses were apparently partially borne by his fellow actors like Aamir Khan, Akshay Kumar and Irrfan Khan.

Some of the most recognizable projects the actor was a part of include ‘Sarfarosh’, ‘Abhay, Aan: Men at Work’, ‘Shool, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero’ and ‘Sankat City’. The actor has some memorable roles such as in Aamir’s famous movie ‘Lagaan’ with his character ‘Ishwar’ and also played Muhammad Ali Jinnah in Ketan Mehta’s ‘Sardar’.

Actor Daya Shankar Pandey confirmed the news to Indian Express and said, “Vyas was a great actor and we will miss him immensely. He died on Sunday morning around 9.30 am and his last rites will take place in the evening Monday evening. He has two daughters and his wife struggled a lot while taking care of Vyas.”

He added, “He was a very well-read man and an immensely talented actor, but he didn’t get his dues. But his work has always spoken for him. He was also into singing and had started writing too, but life was cruel to him.” The actor is survived by his wife and two daughters.