Here are 11 famous actors from India died at 59:
Balraj Sahni (May 1, 1913 Rawalpindi-April 13, 1973 Mumbai) also known as Yudhishthir Sahni, Balraj Sahani, Balraj, Shri Balraj Sahni or Sahni was an Indian actor, writer and teacher. He had two children, Parikshit Sahni and Shabnam Sahni.
Balraj Sahni was a critically acclaimed actor who appeared in over 50 Hindi films in a career spanning three decades. He was best known for his roles in classics like "Do Bigha Zamin," "Kabhie Kabhie," and "Garm Hava." Sahni was also a prolific writer, having authored several books including "Mera Pakistani Safarnama" and "Mera Rusi Safarnama," which chronicled his travels to Pakistan and Russia. In addition to his work in film and literature, Sahni was a dedicated teacher who founded the Indian People's Theatre Association and promoted social causes through his art. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1969 for his contributions to Indian cinema and society. Despite his success, Sahni remained humble and committed to his craft until his death in 1973 at the age of 59.
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Vishnuvardhan (September 18, 1950 Mysore-December 30, 2009 Mysore) a.k.a. Sampath Kumar, Vishnu Vardhan, Vishnu, Sahasasimha, Dr. Vishnuvardhan, The Phoenix Of Indian Cinema, Vishnu Karnataka King, Sahasasimha Abhinaya Bargava, Dada Kotigobba Kaladaiva, angry young man of Kannada cinema, Abhinaya Bargava, Kotigobba, Kaladaiva, Bhavashilpi, Karnataka Samrat, Mysore Ratna, Karnataka King, King of KFI, South Superstar or Abhinaya Rajadiraja was an Indian actor, martial artist, singer and playback singer. He had two children, Keerthi Vishnuvardhan and Chandana Vishnuvardhan.
He died in cardiac arrest.
Vishnuvardhan began his acting career in 1972 with the film "Vamsha Vriksha" and soon became one of the most prominent actors in Kannada cinema. He starred in over 200 films in a career spanning nearly four decades. He was renowned for his roles in films such as "Nagara Haavu", "Bangarada Manushya", "Muttina Haara", "Mayura", "Suprabhatha", "Jeevana Chaitra" and "Yajamana", among many others. He was also known for his singing talent and lent his voice to numerous songs in his films.
Apart from his film career, Vishnuvardhan was actively involved in social and humanitarian causes. He supported various philanthropic activities and was instrumental in instituting the Vishnuvardhan Award to recognize achievement in Kannada cinema. He was also a philanthropist and championed the cause of the underprivileged.
Vishnuvardhan is considered a legend in Kannada cinema, and his death was a great loss to the industry. He was posthumously honored with the Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian awards, in 2011.
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Jayant (October 15, 1915 Peshawar-June 2, 1975 India) a.k.a. Zakria Khan or Zakaria Khan was an Indian actor. His children are called Imtiaz Khan, Amjad Khan and Inayat Khan.
Jayant was born in Peshawar, British India (now in Pakistan) on October 15, 1915. He began his career in the film industry in the 1940s and went on to become a prominent character actor in Hindi cinema. He appeared in over 150 films, including some memorable roles in films like "Deedar" (1951), "Shree 420" (1955), "Devdas" (1955), and "Mughal-e-Azam" (1960).
In addition to his successful acting career, Jayant was also an accomplished sportsman. He played cricket for the Mumbai Cricket Team and was a member of the Indian Olympic field hockey team that won the gold medal in the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
Jayant was married to Razia and had four children. His sons, Imtiaz Khan, Amjad Khan (who famously portrayed the character of Gabbar Singh in the blockbuster movie "Sholay"), and Inayat Khan, are all renowned actors in the Indian film industry. Jayant passed away on June 2, 1975, at the age of 59.
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Manivannan (July 31, 1953 Sulur-June 15, 2013 Chennai) a.k.a. Manivannan Rajagopalan, Manivasagam, Manivannan Rajagopal, S. Manivannan Rajagopal, S. Manivannan or Manivanan was an Indian actor, film director, writer, screenwriter and activist. He had two children, Raghuvannan and Jyothi.
He died in myocardial infarction.
Manivannan was born in Sulur, Tamil Nadu and completed his graduation in Statistics from PSG College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore. He started his career as a writer and director with the Tamil film Gopurangal Saivathillai (1979), which starred Sivakumar and Radha. Manivannan went on to direct over 50 films in Tamil and also acted in more than 400 films across Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam languages.
He was known for his impactful and socially relevant films, such as Pudhu Manithan, Amaidhi Padai and Nagaraja Cholan MA, MLA. He also acted in several popular films, including Mudhalvan, Gemini and Sivaji, to name a few. His performances in character roles were highly appreciated by both critics and audiences.
Apart from his work in the film industry, Manivannan was also active in social and political circles. He was a member of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party and had contested in the 1996 Tamil Nadu assembly elections from the Saidapet constituency. He was also an advocate for the Sri Lankan Tamil cause and had actively campaigned for their rights.
Manivannan was a multi-talented personality who made significant contributions to the Indian film industry and society as a whole. His untimely death was a great loss to the film fraternity and his fans.
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Kalamandalam Haridas (September 15, 1946 Aluva-September 17, 2005 Thiruvananthapuram) otherwise known as Venmani Haridas was an Indian singer, actor and musician. He had two children, Sharath and Harith Haridas.
Haridas was known for his contribution to Indian classical music, particularly Carnatic music, and was a respected teacher of music. He was a disciple of Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar and had also received training from other renowned musicians like Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer and T. M. Thiagarajan. Haridas had performed extensively in India and abroad and had received several awards for his contributions to music. He was also a talented actor and had acted in a few Malayalam movies, including the critically acclaimed film Vidheyan directed by Adoor Gopalakrishnan. His sudden demise in 2005 was a great loss to the world of Indian classical music.
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Marc Zuber (May 5, 1944 Lucknow-May 28, 2003 London) a.k.a. Mark Zuber was an Indian actor.
He died in myocardial infarction.
Zuber was known for his work in both Indian and British cinema. He began his career in the late 1960s, appearing in Indian films such as "Judaai" and "Sone Ka Dil Lohe Ke Haath." In the 1980s, he moved to the United Kingdom and began appearing in British television shows and films, including "The Jewel in the Crown" and "My Beautiful Laundrette." Zuber also worked as a voice actor, providing the voice of Captain Price in the video game "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2." He was regarded as a talented and versatile actor, and his death was mourned by fans and colleagues in both India and the UK.
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Joginder Shelly (July 4, 1949 Khanewal-June 15, 2009 Juhu) otherwise known as Jogendra, Jongindar, Jogender, Yoginder, Joginder or Jogindar was an Indian actor, film director, composer, singer, screenwriter, film producer and pilot.
Joginder Shelly belonged to a Punjabi family and started his career in the film industry in 1969 with the film "Main Gate Tere Bhai Ki Hain". He became known for his roles in action films such as "Lalkar", "Garam Masala" and "Allah Meharban To Gadha Pahelwan". He also directed and produced a few films such as "Loha" and "Qatl".
Apart from his career in the film industry, Joginder was also a trained pilot and used to fly his own planes. He was a licenced commercial pilot and owned his own aviation company, Joginders Airline Services. He was also a good musician and composed and sang songs for some of his films.
Joginder Shelly passed away in 2009 at the age of 59 due to a heart attack in Juhu, Mumbai. He will always be remembered as a multi-talented personality of the Indian film industry.
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Samit Bhanja (January 2, 1944 Jamshedpur-July 24, 2003 Kolkata) also known as Shamit Bhanja, Samit Bhuiyan or Samit was an Indian actor.
He died as a result of colorectal cancer.
Samit Bhanja was a well-respected figure in the Indian film industry, having acted in numerous films throughout his career. He made his debut in the film Nishi Padma in 1970 and went on to work in over 100 films in various languages including Bengali, Hindi, and Oriya. He was known for his versatile acting skills and portrayed a wide range of characters in his films.
Apart from his acting career, Samit Bhanja was also actively involved in politics. He was a member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in West Bengal. He was also elected as a member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian parliament.
Samit Bhanja was a philanthropist at heart and was known for his charitable work. He was actively involved in various social causes and worked towards the betterment of society. He was also a patron of the arts and supported young artists and performers.
Samit Bhanja was a beloved figure in the Indian film industry and his contributions to Indian cinema will forever be remembered.
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Dharmavarapu Subramanyam (September 20, 1954 Komminenivaripalem-December 7, 2013 Dilsukhnagar) also known as Subramanyam Dharmavarapu, Dharmavaram Subramanyam, Dharmavarapu or Subramanyam was an Indian actor, comedian and film director.
He died in cancer.
Born in the village of Komminenivaripalem in Andhra Pradesh, India, Dharmavarapu Subramanyam made his acting debut in 1987 with the Telugu film Intlo Ramayya Veedhilo Krishnayya. He quickly became known for his comic timing, and went on to act in over 600 films in Telugu and Tamil cinema. He also directed two Telugu films - Tholi Prema and Toli Choopulone - and won the Nandi Award for Best Dialogue Writer for the former. In addition to his film work, he was also a popular television actor and appeared in several Telugu serials. Despite his success on screen, Dharmavarapu suffered from health problems for many years, and passed away at the age of 59 due to complications from cancer.
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A. M. Rajah (July 1, 1929 Ramachandrapuram, Chittoor-April 8, 1989 Tamil Nadu) otherwise known as Aemala Manmatharaju Rajah, Rajah or Raja A.M. was an Indian playback singer, film score composer, actor and music director.
He was active in the Tamil film industry in the 1950s and 1960s and has sung over a thousand songs in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam films. He was known for his distinctive voice and his ability to adapt to any musical genre.
Aside from his singing career, Rajah also acted in a few Tamil films, including "Kalyana Parisu" and "Pattinathar." He was also a composer for films such as "Shanti Nilayam" and "Sorgam."
Rajah was awarded the Kalaimamani award by the Tamil Nadu government in 1972 for his contribution to the arts. He passed away in Chennai in 1989, leaving behind a rich legacy in the Indian film industry.
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Chi. Udayashankar (February 18, 1934 Bangalore-July 1, 1993) a.k.a. Chi. Udayashankar, Chi Udayashankar, Sahitya Ratna or Chi Udayshankar was an Indian screenwriter, lyricist, actor and writer. His child is Chi. Guru Dutt.
He was born in Bangalore as the son of renowned Kannada poet and writer, Chi. Sadashivaiah. Udayashankar began his career as a writer and wrote over 70 books in Kannada. He then went on to work in the Kannada film industry and wrote the screenplay and lyrics for many popular films such as "Mayura", "Bhakta Kumbara", "Bangarada Manushya" and "Ranadheera Kanteerava".
Udayashankar was known for his unique style of writing and his ability to seamlessly blend the old with the new. He was a versatile artist and acted in many Kannada films as well. His contribution to the Kannada film industry was recognized with several awards, including the National Film Award for Best Lyrics for the film "Naagarahaavu" in 1973.
However, tragedy struck when Udayashankar passed away in 1993 at the young age of 59. He left behind a rich legacy and inspired a whole generation of Kannada writers and filmmakers with his work. Today, he is remembered as a legend of the Kannada film industry for his unparalleled creativity and contribution to Kannada literature and cinema.
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