Vikram Gokhale no more: A huge loss, say co-stars
Vikram Gokhale, a towering personality in the Indian theatre and cinema space, died on Saturday, after days of being hospitalised. The actor, who was 77, suffered multiple organ failure and breathed his last around 2pm, Shirish Yadkikar from Deenanath Hospital, Pune, confirmed.
Born in Pune, the actor comes from an illustrious lineage. His father, Chandrakant Gokhale, was a renowned theatre and film actor, while his great grandmother, Durgabai Kamat, is credited for being the first female actor in Indian cinema. Having worked in Marathi theatre productions, Gokhale made his Bollywood debut in 1971 with Parwana. Thereafter, he starred in hits such as Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007), De Dana Dan (2009), Mission Mangal (2019), etc. A man of many talents, he donned the director’s hat in 2010 for the Marathi film, Aaghaat.
In 2013, his Marathi film Anumati fetched him the National Film Award for Best Actor. While he retired from stage work in 2016 due to an ailment, he continued working in films. He was last seen in Nikamma.
The last rites took place on Saturday evening, ANI reported.
Smita Jayakar: I worked with Vikram ji since the beginning of my career, in Marathi and Hindi projects. He was a very good friend and an amazing human being. I met him two months ago at a wedding in Pune. He didn’t look very healthy, but I did not imagine he’d leave us within two months. It is a big loss.
Neena Kulkarni: I’ve played his wife, girlfriend, sister and in our last film, his daughter-in-law. You would not see an actor like him. The fearlessness of Vikram Gokhale is what I’ll take from his life. I’ve lost a very good friend.
Subodh Bhave: The first commercial play I watched was Vikram ji’s. I was zapped by his performance. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with him in a few films. He was like my father, as he has played my father on screen. I’m certain that he’ll be talking to God passionately about plays.
Ameesha Patel: The more that is said about Vikram Gokhale, the less it is. I had the privilege of working with him in Bhool Bhulaiyaa, I got to learn a lot. His death leaves a huge void in the industry.
Shilpa Shetty Kundra:
Vikram Gokhale ji was a fantastic actor, a thorough professional. I worked with him in Nikamma. He had great memory. He remembered an entire scene and did the whole monologue in just one shot.