Film and TV actor Ranjit Chowdhary passes away

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.

According to half sister Raell, Ranjit had come to India for a family gathering on Alyque Padamsee's first death anniversary. Ranjit then decided to prolong his stay here to spend some more time with his family in India. He was admitted to the hospital on April 13th due to acute abdominal pain, she told PTI. Theatre personality Dolly Thakore said Chowdhry was well loved.

 

"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.

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

"I met him at Tata theatre 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 Breakaway in 2011, an Akshay Kumar production, which was dubbed in Hindi as Speedy Singh.

His Bollywood/Hollywood director Mehta said Chowdhry's death was a real loss while Rahul Khanna fondly remembered his co-star as a quirky and witty person.

Gutted to learn of #RanjitChowdhry's passing. Despite his diminutive frame, he was a towering icon of Indian diaspora cinema and a master of his craft. By far, one of the most endearingly quirky and acerbically witty people I've had the pleasure of knowing. A true original! Khanna wrote on Twitter.

Khanna said he has fun memories of working with him on "Bollywood/Hollywood, besides their casual meetings.

I have such fun memories of working with him on Bollywood/ Hollywood', then, on an off-Broadway musical (that we both eventually ended up not doing) and, of course, the dinners at his apartment in New York.

Giving you a standing ovation & raising a toast to you, my friend! My heartfelt condolences to his family & especially his son.

Actor Poorna Jagannathan said, This guy made magic out of nothing, filling paper thin roles with so much depth. I always saw my father when I was with him- the same humor, stubbornness and brilliance. Heartbroken, dear friend. RIP #RanjitChowdhry.

Director Rahul Dholakia said he was a huge fan of Chowdhry's body of work. Very sad to hear about #RanjitChowdhry - was a big fan of his films, great comic timing and good actor. Khatta Meetha', Khubsoorat', Lonely in America', Sam and Me'. He was also the first ever judge in our show Naya Andaz in New Jersey in 1993. #RIP, Dholakia tweeted.