Veteran
actor
Chandrashekhar,
best
known
for
featuring
in
films
like
Cha
Cha
Cha,
and
Surang,
and
playing
the
role
of
Arya
Sumant
on
the
popular
TV
serial
Ramayan,
passed
away
on
Wednesday
due
to
age
related
ailments.
He
was
98.
Chandrashekhar
breathed
his
last
around
7
am
at
his
residence
here,
his
son
and
producer
Ashok
Shekhar
told
PTI.
"He
passed
away
in
his
sleep
in
the
presence
of
family...
the
way
he
wanted.
He
had
no
health
issues,
it
was
just
his
age.
He
lived
a
good
life,"
Shekhar
said.
The
veteran
actor's
last
rites
will
be
held
at
Juhu's
Pawan
Hans
crematorium
in
the
evening,
he
added.
Born
in
Hyderabad,
Chandrashekhar
started
out
as
a
junior
artiste
in
the
film
industry
in
the
early
1950s,
before
bagging
his
first
film
in
the
leading
role
with
V
Shantaram's
Surang
in
1954.
He
went
on
to
star
in
movies
including
Kavi,
Mastana,
Basant
Bahaar,
Kaali
Topi
Laal
Rumaal
and
Barsaat
Ki
Raat.
In
1964,
he
made
his
production
and
directorial
debut
with
Cha
Cha
Cha,
featuring
veteran
actor
Helen
in
her
first
leading
role.
In
1987,
Chandrashekhar
starred
as
Arya
Sumant,
King
Dasharatha's
prime
minister
on
the
DD
mythological
show
Ramayan,
directed
by
Ramanand
Sagar.
Chandrashekhar,
who
appeared
in
more
than
250
movies
throughout
his
career
till
the
early
1990s,
also
briefly
assisted
writer-filmmaker
Gulzar
between
1972-1976
on
his
directorials
like
Parichay,
Koshish,
Achanak,
Aandhi,
Khushboo
and
Mausam.
The
veteran
actor
is
survived
by
three
children.