Veteran Marathi actor Ashalata Wabgaonkar succumbed to covid-19 in Satara on Tuesday morning. She was 79.
She had resumed shooting for her Marathi TV serial Aai Majhi Kalubai after the Bombay High Court quashed the state government’s directive that prevented any cast or crew members above 65 years at sets.
Wabgaonkar along with 22 crew members of the production team had tested positive for the coronavirus last week. Following which, she was admitted to Pratibha hospital where she was hospitalised for last seven days. She was put on her a ventilator but could not fight the virus due to her old age.
Satara Collector Shekhar Singh said that Aai Majhi Kalubai’s team had contacted them to resume shoot last month after government eased the shooting guidelines. “They were shooting at one or two locations. Based on the Union government’s guidelines for resuming shooting, we gave them necessary permissions and asked them to follow social distancing norms,” Singh said.
Ashalata in her notable career starred in a number of Hindi films including Apne Paraye, for which she nominated in the category of Best Supporting Actress at Filmfare Awards, Woh Saath Din, Namak Halaal, Yaadon Ki Kasam, and Shaukeen among others.
In the Marathi cinema, she is known for her performances in films like Umbartha, Navri Mile Navryala, and Vahinichi Maya among others.
Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar, Union Minister Prakash Javedkar, actor Anil Kapoor offered condolences on the passing away of the veteran actress.
