Television actor Pankaj Dheer, known for his portrayal of Karna in B R Chopra’s 'Mahabharat' and King Shivdutt in the fantasy series 'Chandrakanta', passed away at the age of 68 after a battle with cancer.

“He passed away due to cancer this morning. He had been in and out of the hospital in the past months,” producer and friend Ashoke Pandit told PTI. The cremation is scheduled to take place later today.

Hailing from Punjab, Dheer began his acting career in the 1980s, taking on minor roles in several films. His breakthrough came in 1988 when he was cast as Karna in the television adaptation of the epic 'Mahabharata'. Following this, he gained widespread recognition and appeared in films such as 'Sadak', 'Sanam Bewafa', and 'Aashik Awara'.

Between 1994 and 1996, Dheer starred in the TV series 'Chandrakanta', inspired by Devaki Nandan Khatri’s 1888 novel. He became widely known for his role as Shivdutt, the ruler of the fictional kingdom of Chunargarh.

Some of his other notable film appearances include 'Soldier' with Bobby Deol, 'Baadshah' with Shah Rukh Khan, 'Andaz' with Akshay Kumar, and 'Zameen' and 'Tarzan' with Ajay Devgn. In the late 2000s, he was seen in popular daily soaps such as 'Teen Bahuraaniyaan', 'Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat', and 'Sasural Simar Ka'.

He is survived by his wife Anita Dheer and son Nikitin Dheer, who has also followed in his footsteps as an actor.
(With PTI Inputs)

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