Mumbai:
Distinguished
character
actor
A
K
Hangal,
who
was
best
known
for
his
roles
in
films
like
Namak
Haram,
Sholay
and
Shaukeen,
passed
away
at
a
hospital
here
this
morning
following
a
brief
illness.
He
was
98.
"He
passed
away
at
9
AM
at
Asha
Parekh
Hospital...He
was
not
keeping
well
for
quite
some
time,"
AK
Hangal's
son
Vijay
told
PTI.
"He
was
on
life
support
initially
but
the
doctors
decided
to
take
him
off
the
ventilator
since
his
condition
wasn't
improving," he
said.
The
veteran
was
admitted
to
the
hospital
in
suburban
Santa
Cruz
on
August
16
after
he
slipped
and
fell
down
in
his
bathroom
on
August
13,
fracturing
his
right
femur
(thigh)
bone.
Hangal,
who
has
been
in
and
out
of
hospital
since
the
last
few
years,
was
suffering
from
several
ailments
including
high
blood
pressure
and
kidney
dysfunction.
Doctors
attending
to
him
initially
felt
that
he
needed
to
be
operated
on
for
the
fracture
but
considering
his
advanced
age
they
dropped
the
idea.
"My
father
was
a
spirited
man....He
kept
fighting
every
time
till
his
last
breath,"
Vijay
said,
adding
the
funeral
will
be
held
at
1
PM.
The
actor
was
facing
severe
financial
hardship
before
several
celebrities
from
the
film
industry
chipped
in
with
funds
after
news
of
his
deteriorating
health
broke
out
last
year.
AK
Hangal
had
participated
in
the
freedom
struggle
before
turning
to
acting.
He
played
roles
in
films
like
Sholay,
Shaukeen,
Namak
Haram,
Aaina,
Avtaar,
Arjun,
Aandhi,
Kora
Kagaz,
Bawarchi,
Chitchor,
Guddi,
Abhimaan,
Anamika
and
Parichay.
He
was
also
a
regular
in
Rajesh
Khanna's
starrers
like
Aap
Ki
Kasam,
Amar
Deep,
Naukri,
Thodisi
Bewafaii
and
Phir
Wohi
Raat.
Recently,
he
returned
to
face
the
studio
lights
after
seven
long
years
for
TV
Series
Madhubala.