Veteran actor Ranjit Chowdhry passes away

Mumbai: Actor Ranjit Chowdhry, best known for his roles in Khatta Meetha, Baton Baton Mein and Bollywood/Hollywood”, has died at the age of 65.

Son of renowned theatre actor Pearl Padamsee and step son of ad man Alyque Padamsee, Chowdhry died here on Wednesday, April 15. The actor, who was in India for dental treatment, had to stay back due to the lockdown, said theatre personality Dolly Thakore.

“He was so well loved and an adorable guy. I reached out to the family. He has a wife and 16-year-old son in New York. He had come to India for a dental treatment. He has been here since December-January. He was booked to go back on April 8 and the lockdown came,” Thakore told PTI.

“He got a ruptured ulcer in the intestine which happened on April 14. A physician was called who said he needs to go to the hospital and he was taken to Breach Candy hospital. They operated on him but he died at the hospital yesterday at 4 in the morning,” she added.

Chowdhry’s half-sister Raell Padamsee first confirmed the news about his passing away on Instagram on Wednesday.

“For all those who knew Ranjit, the funeral will be held tomorrow and a gathering to celebrate his life n share his stories on May 5th. With love, Raell,” she posted on Instagram.

Thakore, the former partner of Alyque Padamsee, said that the funeral was held at 9.30 on Thursday with close family members in attendance.

“I met me at Tata theater and at Royal Opera House in February. He had promised to have lunch with me but that lunch never happened because of the lockdown,” she said.

Chowdhry made his debut with Khatta Meetha in 1978. He appeared in Hindi films like Khubsoorat, Bandit Queen, Kaante Mira Nair’s Mississippi Masala and Deepa Mehta’s Fire and Bollywood/Hollywood among others.

His last reported film role is in Punjabi/English film Breakaway in 2011, an Akshay Kumar production, which was dubbed in Hindi as Speedy Singh.