Veteran actor Sudesh Kumar, famous for playing the protagonist in the 1961 film Saranga, passed away in Mumbai on Sunday. He was 95.
As per reports, the actor had suffered a brain stroke two weeks before his death. After initial treatment at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital, he was brought back home last week, where an ICU setup had been arranged to continue his care.
“At his request, we brought him back home on Thursday where we had set up a makeshift medical unit. But he breathed his last the next morning,” his wife, Jaya Dhawan said as per reports.
Born Sudesh Kumar Dhawan on March 17, 1931 pre-independence India in frontier town Peshawar -- also the birthplace of Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor and where Shah Rukh Khan gets his ancestry from – Dhawan’s family shifted to Mumbai (then Bombay) when he was young.
Though he pursued a science degree from Elphinstone College, his aspirations diverged from his father's wish for him to become a doctor. Drawn to the world of performance, he chose acting instead and began his artistic journey with Prithviraj Kapoor's renowned theatre group. Apart from his work in Bollywood films, Dhawan also had supporting roles in various southern socials like Chhoti Bahen (1959), Bharosa (1963) and Khandan (1965). He also produced the 1975 thriller Uljhan.
Dhawan is survived by his wife Jaya and daughter Mishika. His prayer meet will be held on May 4, 2026, from 4 pm onwards at FPH Banquets Hall in Mumbai.