Last Updated:
Pradeep Rawat made his Hindi film debut with Meri Jung in 1985. He subsequently appeared in several Hindi films before establishing a strong presence in Telugu and Tamil cinema.
Pradeep Rawat passes away after battling cancer. (Photos: X)
Veteran actor Pradeep Rawat’s death has left the entire film industry grief struck. Best known for his memorable performances in films such as Lagaan, Sarfarosh and Ghajini, Rawat passed away on Tuesday, August 4, after battling blood cancer. While social media is flooded with fans expressing their condolences, let’s remember the actor and take a look at how he ruled three film industries: Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.
Who Was Pradeep Rawat?
Born in January 1952, in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, Pradeep Rawat began his acting journey with Hindi cinema before gaining wider recognition through television. One of his earliest and most remembered roles was Ashwatthama in BR Chopra’s iconic television series Mahabharat.
Rawat made his Hindi film debut with Meri Jung in 1985. He subsequently appeared in several Hindi films before establishing a strong presence in Telugu and Tamil cinema. His performance in SS Rajamouli’s Sye marked his Telugu film debut and earned him the Filmfare Award for Best Villain (Telugu).
Actor Worked In Hindi, Tamil And Telugu Films
Rawat worked in several Hindi films like Sarfarosh (1999), Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001), The Hero: Love Story of a Spy (2003), Ghajini (2008), Grand Masti (2013) and Singh Is Bliing (2015) among others. His role as Sultan in Sarfarosh and Deva Singh Sodhi in Lagaan remain among his most recognisable Hindi film performances. In Ghajini, he played the antagonist, appearing in both the original Tamil version and its Hindi remake. Most recently, Pradeep Rawat was also seen in Vicky Kaushal’s 2025 hit movie Chhaava.
In Telugu cinema, Rawat was particularly known for Sye, Chatrapathi, Stalin, 1-Nenokkadine and Nenu Sailaja. He also worked extensively in Tamil cinema, including the original Ghajini, besides appearing in films across Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali, Marathi and Bhojpuri industries.
Pradeep Rawat’s Cause Of Death
Pradeep Rawat had successfully recovered from cancer four years ago. However, the disease returned around one-and-a-half months ago, following which he was admitted to hospital. He breathed his last on August 4.
“He survived cancer four years back, but again, since the last one and a half months, it was a relapse of cancer. So, he was hospitalised since one month. That’s how it is. All of a sudden, his platelets went down and from there, he just couldn’t recover,” his manager said in a recent statement.
About the Author
Chirag Sehgal works as a Senior Sub-Editor in the Entertainment team at News18.com. With an experience of five years in the media industry, he largely focuses on Indian television coverage. Apart from…Read More
August 05, 2026, 16:30 IST
