Veteran theatre and film actor Sulabha Deshpande, died on Saturday.
The 79-year-old veteran actor and a popular face on TV had acted in numerous Marathi and Hindi films. She died at her Mumbai residence after a prolonged illness, family sources said.
She acted in plays written by acclaimed playwrights such as Vijay Tendulkar. Deshpande also acted in several Marathi and Hindi films and TV serials.
In Hindi, she earned plenty of plaudits for her acting in films such as “Bhumika” (1977), “Arvind Desai Ki Ajeeb Dastaan” (1978) and “Gaman” (1978).
More recently, she was seen in Gauri Shinde-directed and “English-Vinglish.”
She was also associated with “Rangayan”, a pioneering Marathi experimental theatre group, alongwith Tendulkar, Vijaya Mehta, and Satyadev Dubey.
On stage, she acted in Marathi plays like “Shantata! Court Chalu Aahe”, “Sakharam Binder”, “Baba Harvale Aahet”, among many others.
She was seen on the small screen in serials like “Rishtey”, “Badalte Rishte”, “Tanha” and “Mrs. Tendulkar” among others.
In 1971 she co-founded the theatre group `Awishkar’ with her husband Arvind Deshpande, who died in 1987.
Condolences have been pouring in from film fraternity, journalists and politicians.
Bahut acchi Abhinetri Sulabha Deshpande ji aaj hamare bich nahi rahi.Mujhe bahut dukh hai,unke (cont) https://t.co/b6hz7TClQL
— Lata Mangeshkar (@mangeshkarlata) June 4, 2016
My heartfelt condolences on sad demise of Smt. Sulabha Deshpande, a talented theater n film personality. May her soul rest in peace!!
— Pankaja Gopinath Munde (@Pankajamunde) June 4, 2016
https://twitter.com/ShiriishKunder/status/739118515328847873
RIP sulabha deshpande : such a sweetheart she was
— pallavi ghosh (@_pallavighosh) June 4, 2016
Sulabha Deshpande's notable work on stage include vijay Tendulkar's fiery shantata court chalu aahe and sakharam binder besides films and tv
— J (@jiteshpillaai) June 4, 2016
Day of colossal losses. RIP Mohammad Ali, Sasha Shulgin and Sulabha Deshpande 🙁
— TheRichaChadha (@RichaChadha) June 4, 2016
RIP Sulabha Deshpande. Committed actor, devoted theatre activist n a genuine human being.
— nikhil wagle (@waglenikhil) June 4, 2016
(With inputs from PTI and IANS)