‘KGF’ actor Harish Rai passes away

Kannada actor Harish Rai passed away. He was 55. According to reports, the actor had been undergoing cancer treatment and breathed his last at a hospital in Bengaluru.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar shared the news on X (formerly Twitter) and extended his condolences. He wrote, “The passing away of Harish Roy, the renowned villain actor of Kannada cinema, is an extremely sorrowful event. The film industry has become poorer with the death of Harish Roy, who was suffering from cancer.”

He further added, “In films including Om, Hello Yama, as well as KGF and KGF 2, Harish Roy had acted wonderfully and attracted everyone's attention. I pray that his soul attains peace and that God grants strength to his family and loved ones, who are in pain from his departure, to bear the sorrow. Om Shanti.”

Harish Rai was best known for his performances as Don Rai in the cult classic 'Om' and as Chacha in 'KGF'. He had reportedly been battling thyroid cancer, which had later spread to his stomach.

Earlier this year, Harish had opened up to the media about his illness and the heavy financial strain of his treatment. He had revealed that a single injection cost him ₹3.55 lakh, and doctors had advised three injections per cycle over 63 days, totalling around ₹10.5 lakh per cycle.

The actor had a long and distinguished career spanning Kannada, Tamil and Telugu cinema. His notable films include 'Samara', 'Jodihakki', 'Raj Bahadur', 'Sanu Weds Geetha', 'Swayamvara', 'Nalla', and both instalments of the blockbuster 'KGF' series.
(With IANS Inputs)