Who was Pradeep Rawat? Veteran actor dies at 74
What's the story
Veteran actor Pradeep Rawat, who is known for his roles in Ghajini, Lagaan, and B.R. Chopra's Mahabharat, has died at the age of 74. The news was first shared by actor Yashpal Sharma on Instagram. He wrote, "Pradeep Rawat, our Gajini, Deva of Lagaan, RIP." Rawat's manager Siddharth Tiwari later confirmed to HT City, "He was suffering from cancer, and it had relapsed. He has died a few hours back." Tiwari revealed Rawat was hospitalized for nearly a month.
Career overview
Rawat became synonymous with his role as Ashwatthama
Rawat's acting career spanned over four decades, with notable roles in Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Bengali, Tamil, Kannada, Bhojpuri, Nepali, and Marathi cinema.
His film debut was with Meri Jung in 1985, but it was his role as Ashwatthama in Chopra's Mahabharat that made him a household name.
He became synonymous with the character for an entire generation of viewers before establishing himself as one of Indian cinema's most recognizable screen villains.
Iconic roles
His pivotal roles in 'Lagaan' and 'Ghajini'
Rawat starred alongside Aamir Khan in Ashutosh Gowariker's Oscar-nominated Lagaan (2001) as Deva Singh.
He then gave one of his career-defining performances in AR Murugadoss's Tamil blockbuster Ghajini (2005).
His portrayal of the ruthless Ghajini Dharmatma was so widely appreciated that he was among the few actors retained for the 2008 Hindi remake, reprising the same role opposite Khan.
Film legacy
His sustained success across multiple film industries
A major turning point in Rawat's career came with SS Rajamouli's Sye (2004), which marked his Telugu debut. His portrayal of Bikshu Yadav earned him widespread acclaim.
His extensive filmography included Sarfarosh, Rowdy Rathore, The Hero: Love Story of a Spy, Stalin, Veeram, 1: Nenokkadine, Loukyam, and Nenu Sailaja among others.
Recent works
His work in recent years
Even in recent years, the veteran actor remained active, appearing in films such as Waltair Veerayya, Gulu Gulu, and Chhaava.
His last Telugu film was Gaayapadda Simham.
In Tamil cinema, he debuted with Silambarasan TR's Thotti Jaya and was last seen in DD Returns, starring Santhanam.
Meanwhile, the actor is survived by his wife Kalyani Rawat and son Vikramaditya Rawat.