Gufi Paintal (79), 'Mahabharat's Shakuni Mama passes away
In a devastating blow to the entertainment world, veteran actor Gufi Paintal (79), who rose to nationwide acclaim for his portrayal of the evil Shakuni Mama in BR Chopra's beloved mythological drama Mahabharat, is no more. The actor was suffering from health complications and had been admitted to the hospital a few days ago. He reportedly breathed his last around 9:00am on Monday.
The actor was battling health issues for a while now
Reportedly, after his health aggravated, he was admitted to Andheri's Bellevue Multispeciality Hospital on May 31. However, the doctors couldn't save him and he allegedly died due to heart failure. His family confirmed his death through an official statement, "With profound grief, we announce the sad demise of our father Mr Gufi Paintal (Shakuni Mama). He passed away peacefully this morning surrounded by family."
The veteran's blood pressure was reportedly causing trouble
His nephew Hiten Paintal earlier revealed that his uncle had "blood pressure and heart issues," and was "keeping unwell for a while," which is why the family decided to shift him to the hospital. The veteran is reportedly survived by his son, daughter-in-law, and a grandchild. Paintal's real name was Sarabjit Singh Paintal and he was the brother of popular actor Kanwarjit Singh Paintal.
Did you know he also served in the Indian Army?
The actor's cremation is scheduled for around 4:00pm at a crematorium in Andheri. His co-stars from Mahabharat are likely to attend the last rites. While Paintal made a name for himself through his acting skills and his ability to breathe life into a complex character, what's even more admirable is that he served in the Indian Army during the Indo-China War of 1962.
Beyond 'Mahabharat': The actor was a part of these projects
While Mahabharat was undoubtedly Paintal's biggest project, it wasn't his only popular one. Before becoming a household name, Paintal reportedly worked in the industry as a casting director. Apart from Mahabharat, he also appeared in some other famous TV serials such as CID, Ssshhhh...Koi Hai, Akbar Birbal, Kanoon, and Hello Inspector. He also appeared in films such as Suhaag and Des Pardes.
