Noted actor Sunil Shende, known for movies and shows such as “Circus”, “Shanti” and “Sarfarosh”, died here on Monday, a close friend said. The actor, who was in his 70s, breathed his last at his Vile Parle residence here, film and music critic Pavan Jha told PTI.
“He died at his residence in Vile Parle at 1 am last night and his body was cremated this afternoon at the Hindu crematorium in Parshiwada,” Jha said. The cause of Shende’s death was not immediately known.
Shende was known for playing supporting roles in films such as “Gandhi”, “Khal Nayak”, “Ghayaal”, “Ziddi”, “Daud”, “Magan” and “Viruddh” during his 30-year career.
In Aamir Khan’s “Sarfarosh,” he played the deputy commissioner of police, and in Rohit Shetty’s “Zameen,” he played an inept politician opposite Ajay Devgn and Abhishek Bachchan.
Actor Rajesh Tailang paid tribute to Shende on Twitter, recalling working with him on the cult classic TV show “Shanti.”
“Great actor and and a great human being …Shri Sunil Shende is no more.I was fortunate enough to get a chance to work with him in the serial Shanti, I played his son. Babuji saadar shraddhanjali”,he tweeted.