'Sarfarosh,' 'Zameen' actor Sunil Shende passes away; fans pay tribute
Veteran actor Sunil Shende, known for his roles in Hindi shows and movies, has passed away. He was reportedly in his 70s. On Monday, film and music critic Pavan Jha, who was a close friend of the actor, told news agency PTI that Shende died at 1:00am at his Vile Parle residence in Mumbai. May his soul rest in peace.
Artist was cremated on Monday afternoon in Mumbai
Speaking to PTI, Jha said, "[Shende] died at his residence in Vile Parle at 1:00am last night." He further stated that Shende's body was cremated on Monday afternoon at the Hindu Crematorium in Parshiwada in the city. The noted performer is survived by his wife Jyoti and two sons, Omkar and Rishikesh. The cause of his demise was not immediately known.
Colleagues extended their prayers online
As soon as the news broke, fans and colleagues of the artist took to social media to express their condolences. Actor Rajesh Tailang (Delhi Crime 2, Dahan) posted a note on Twitter along with a picture of the late actor. "Great actor and and a great human being...I was fortunate enough to get a chance to work with him in the serial Shanti."
Read Tailang's entire message here
He played SRK's father in this beloved show
Shende had an impacting career spreading around 30 years, including his work in the Hindi and Marathi industries. Starting with a small role in Gandhi (1982), Shende was part of evergreen and iconic Hindi shows like Circus and Shanti. In Circus, he played the role of Shah Rukh Khan's father who was also the owner of the titular circus.
Shende featured in multiple films in 1980-1990s
Coming to the big screen, the veteran actor charmed us with his talent in several films. Be it the deputy commissioner of police in Aamir Khan-led Sarfarosh (1999) or a shady police officer in Vaastav (1999). Fans of the 1980-1990s films can also find Shende delivering adept performances in Daud, Zameen, Khal Nayak, Ghayaal, Ziddi, Magan, and Viruddh. A powerhouse of a person, indeed!
