Actress Ashalata Wabgaonkar dies; Maha CM expresses grief

Veteran actress Ashalata Wabgaonkar, who had worked in a number of Marathi and Hindi films, died on early Tuesday morning at a private hospital here after battling COVID-19, hospital authorities said.

Veteran actress Ashalata Wabgaonkar, who had worked in a number of Marathi and Hindi films, died on early Tuesday morning at a private hospital here after battling COVID-19, hospital authorities said. She was 79.

Wabgaonkar was also a noted Marathi theatre personality and had featured in several plays. The actress had tested positive for COVID-19 and was admitted to the private hospital on September 17 where she was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia, a senior doctor from the medical facility said.

"Her condition worsened on Monday evening and she was put on ventilator support. She breathed her last today (Tuesday) morning," he said. The actress was in Satara in western Maharashtra for shooting of a Marathi TV serial.

Marathi actress Alka Kubal, who was with her during the shoot, said the shooting was going on for the last one month. "Till yesterday, she was talking to us and suddenly she slipped into a coma. She was then put on ventilator support, but died early Tuesday morning.

"We never imagined that this pandemic will take her away from us," Kubal said. Condolences poured in on the death of the veteran actress, who had featured in several Marathi and Hindi films in a decades-long career.

Expressing grief over Wabgaonkar's death, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray paid rich tributes to the actress and described her as a versatile artist. "We have lost a versatile actress who left her mark in Marathi theatre, films and the Hindi film industry with her performances," Thackeray said.

He said Wabgaonkar excelled as a poetess, singer and writer and immortalised characters she portrayed in films. State PWD Minister Ashok Chavan also paid tributes to Wabgaonkar, saying a talented personality made her exit from the world of art.

"She was known in households for playing several memorable roles in theatre and on small and big screens. My tributes to Ashalata, the Congress leader tweeted. NCP Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule said Wabgaonkar had a good understanding of music.

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