- Pradeep Singh Rawat, who acted in Lagaan, died at 74 after battling blood cancer
- Aamir Khan and the cast paid their last respects
- He is survived by his wife Kalyani Rawat and son Vikramaditya Rawat
The cast and crew of Lagaan, including Aamir Khan, filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker, Yashpal Sharma, Daya Shankar Pandey and Rajendra Gupta, gathered on Wednesday evening to pay their final respects to veteran actor Pradeep Singh Rawat at his funeral in Mumbai.
Rawat, who portrayed Deva Singh Sodhi in Lagaan, died on Tuesday evening after battling blood cancer. He was 74.
Several members of the film fraternity shared memories of the late actor while speaking to ANI after the funeral.
Yashpal Sharma, struggling to put his emotions into words, said, "I am at a loss for words. Bhagwan unki aatma ko shanti de. Woh hamesha humari yaadon mein zinda rahenge."
Actor Surendra Pal recalled sharing a close personal bond with Rawat beyond their professional association. "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."
Daya Shankar Pandey also reflected on their friendship, saying that although they did not work together frequently, their bond grew strong while filming Lagaan 26 years ago. He added that he always looked up to Rawat as an elder brother and held him in the highest regard.
Rajendra Gupta expressed his grief, saying, "His passing is deeply saddening. He was a wonderful human being and a talented actor. His absence will be felt by many."
Veteran actor Raza Murad described Rawat's death as a huge loss for both the industry and those who knew him personally. "The industry has lost a remarkable artist, I have lost a very dear friend, and the world has lost a true gentleman. He earned immense respect and recognition purely through his talent, dedication, and hard work. He was a wonderful human."
Actor Ali Khan, who worked with Rawat in Sarfarosh, fondly remembered his warm personality. "He was a wonderful person who always had a smile on his face. We did not work together very often, but our association and bond go back a long way," he said.
Pradeep Rawat is survived by his wife, Kalyani Rawat, and their son, Vikramaditya Rawat.