Veteran actor AK Hangal passes away

TOI

Mumbai, 26 Aug 2012: Veteran actor AK Hangal, who was admitted to the Asha Parekh hospital in Santa Cruz, almost a week back, has passed away. He was 95 years old. Hangal was admitted to the Asha Parekh Hospital in Santacruz on August 16, after he slipped and fell in his bathroom on August 14, fracturing his right femur (thigh) bone.

Initially, he was examined at home and put on medicines.

However, later, he was shifted to the hospital’s ICU and put on ventilator support as his condition deteriorated.

Hangal, who had been in and out of hospital with a history of pulmonary tuberculosis, chronic kidney disease and hypertension, needed to be operated however the doctors felt he was unfit to go under the knife.The yesteryear actor, who has acted in over 200 films, is best known for character roles in films like Namak Haram, Sholay, Shaukeen, Aaina, Bawarchi and others.

Not so long ago, the 98-year-old actor had told TOI, "I have lived my life on the sets. And it was exciting to go back to one." Hangal was reliving his experience of shooting for a new television show titled Madhubala after a gap of seven years. This picture was taken on the sets. He had reached the sets on a wheelchair and wasn’t sure he’d be able to handle the shoot physically. However, once the cameras started rolling, there was no stopping the actor within.