Ghajini-fame actor Pradeep Rawat passes away at 74

MUMBAI: Veteran actor Pradeep Rawat, best known for his memorable villainous role in Ghajini, passed away on Tuesday after battling blood cancer. He was 74. Rawat breathed his last at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai, where he had been undergoing treatment.

Known for his powerful portrayal of villains, Rawat carved a niche for himself across Indian cinema with a career spanning television and films. He made his acting debut as Ashwatthama in B.R. Chopra's iconic television series Mahabharat, a role that marked the beginning of his journey in the entertainment industry.

The actor rose to prominence in South Indian cinema with the 2005 Tamil blockbuster Ghajini, starring Suriya, in which he played dual villainous roles. He later portrayed the sole antagonist in the Hindi remake of Ghajini opposite Aamir Khan, further cementing his reputation as one of Indian cinema's most memorable screen villains.

Over a career spanning several decades, Rawat appeared in films across multiple Indian languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. Known for his commanding screen presence, he became one of the most sought-after actors for negative roles in commercial cinema. In Malayalam cinema, Rawat was best known for playing the antagonist opposite Mohanlal, Jayaram and Dileep in the film Chinatown.