VETERAN Marathi actor and Lavani artist Madhu Kambikar passed away in Pune on Monday due to a prolonged illness, her family friend said. She was 72. “She was unwell for many years. She passed away on Monday in Pune. In 2016, she suffered a stroke, which left her paralysed on one side. Since then, she had been bedridden,” said family friend and director Mahesh Tilekar. Born in Maharashtra, Kambikar was trained in Kathak and Lavani and established herself in Marathi folk theatre.She acted in several films, including “Shapit”, “Ek Hota Vidushak”, “Zapatlela” and “Yeshwant”, in which she starred alongside (late) Nana Patekar, among others. Her last rites were performed in Pune. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law. Tilekar said Kambikar’s contribution to Marathi cinema and folk theatre, especially Lavani, would not be forgotten. “I recall visiting her twice, but she could not recognise me or anyone else.

 

Her son and daughter-in-law took really good care of her,” Tilekar, who worked with Kambikar on his show, “Marathi Taraka”, and a few TV commercials, told PTI. Veteran Marathi actor Leela Gandhi said she was deeply saddened by Kambikar’s demise. “I got to know about her demise this morning. She was unwell for the past few years. I met her once about three to four years ago, but I couldn’t meet her later. She is like my daughter. I feel really bad that she is not with us now. She was a very good artiste,” Gandhi told PTI. MAHARASHTRA CM DEVENDRA FADNAVIS MOURNS THE LOSS OF VETERAN LAVANI ARTISTE AND ACTRESS MADHU KAMBIKAR: MAHARASHTRA Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday expressed grief over the demise of veteran Marathi actress and Lavani artiste Madhu Kambikar, who passed away at the age of 73. He described her as an artist who proudly carried Maharashtra’s folk art traditions to the silver screen. In a condolence message, Fadnavis said Kambikar carved a niche for herself through her performances on the silver screen while preserving Maharashtra’s folk art traditions.