Ghajini And Sarfarosh Villain Pradeep Rawat Dies At 74 After Battle With Blood Cancer

New Delhi: ‘Ghajini’ actor Pradeep Rawat, also known for his iconic roles in movies like Lagaan and Sarfarosh, died at the age of 74 after battling blood cancer. Rawat, the actor remembered for his towering presence as a villain and character artiste across Hindi, Telugu, Tamil and other regional films, died on Tuesday evening. He had been undergoing treatment for blood cancer for several years and had been admitted to hospital in Bhiwandi for the past couple of months. 

Reports suggested that Pradeep had earlier recovered from his illness, but his condition had deteriorated over recent days. The last rites are expected to take place on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, as soon as the news of his passing spread, tributes began pouring in within hours. Lagaan co-star Yashpal Sharma posted on his Instagram story, “Our Ghazni, Lagaan's Deva Pradeep Rawat is no more. May his soul rest in peace.” 

Expressing grief, his friends and close ones said that from Ashwatthama on television to Deva Singh Sodhi in Lagaan and Ghajini Dharmatma in Ghajini, Pradeep Rawat was the face his audiences across generations loved to boo.

Career Spans Multiple Languages And Decades

Born on January 21, 1952 in Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur, Pradeep Rawat began his journey with Hindi television before moving to cinema. His first screen appearance was as ‘Ashwatthama’ in BR Chopra’s ‘Mahabharat’, a role that introduced him to households across the country. He made his Hindi film debut with ‘Meri Jung’ in 1985 and gradually built a reputation for playing formidable antagonists.

Even though Hindi cinema gave him early recognition, it was South Indian films that cemented his stature as a versatile actor. He entered Telugu cinema with SS Rajamouli’s ‘Sye’, a performance that won him the ‘Filmfare Award for Best Villain’ in Telugu. He went on to feature in ‘Chatrapathi’, ‘Stalin’, ‘1-Nenokkadine’ and ‘Nenu Sailaja’. In Tamil, he appeared in the original ‘Ghajini’ in a double role, a part that he later reprised in the Hindi remake. His work also extended to Kannada with ‘Parodi’, Malayalam with ‘China Town’, Bengali with ‘Hero 420’, Marathi and Bhojpuri with ‘Crack Fighter’.

Defined Hindi Film Villain With Memorable Roles

Actor Pradeep Rawat’s filmography reads like a catalogue of Indian cinema’s biggest thrillers and epics. In ‘Sarfarosh (1999)’ he played Sultan, and in Ashutosh Gowariker’s Oscar-nominated ‘Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001)’ he was Deva Singh Sodhi, the imposing challenger on the cricket field. He was also seen in ‘The Hero: Love Story Of A Spy (2003)’, ‘Grand Masti (2013)’, ‘Singh Is Bliing (2015)’ and most recently ‘Chhaava (2025)’.

However, it was his portrayal of ‘Ghajini Dharmatma’ in the 2008 Tamil film Ghajini, and later in the Hindi version starring Aamir Khan, that brought him nationwide fame. The menacing laugh, the shaved head and the intensity made the character iconic. Even as he played villains, colleagues remembered him for his discipline and humility off screen.

Pradeep Rawat’s Final Days

According to reports, Pradeep Rawat had been receiving treatment at Mumbai’s Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital before being moved to another facility. He spent the last few months in and out of hospital care in Bhiwandi, with the close ones saying that the actor’s health had worsened sharply in the days leading up to his death on Tuesday evening.

His directors and co-stars recalled him as an actor who brought gravitas to every scene, whether in a big-budget Hindi film or a regional production. His ability to switch between languages and adapt to different film industries made him one of the few pan-Indian character actors of his time.

Even as the film industry mourns the loss, Pradeep Rawat leaves behind a body of work that stretched across 5 decades and over a dozen languages. From mythological television to modern thrillers, he created characters that stayed with viewers long after the credits rolled.