The passing of veteran Marathi actress and exceptional Lavani exponent Madhu Kambikar at 73 in Pune has deeply saddened the film community.
Her demise on October 12, 2026, comes just four days after the sudden death of her legendary co-star Nana Patekar, who passed away on October 8 at the age of 75.
The remarkably close timing of their passings brings a poetic conclusion to a profound professional relationship that spanned over four decades. While the duo initially gained widespread acclaim as the lead romantic pair in the classic Marathi film Raghu Maina in the early 1980s, Kambikar later transitioned into playing matriarchal figures. Despite being two years younger than Patekar, she memorably portrayed his on-screen mother in high-profile Hindi films such as Hum Dono in 1995 and Yeshwant in 1997.
Kambikar, widely revered as the Lavani Empress for her tireless efforts to popularise Maharashtra’s traditional folk art, had been battling severe health complications following a paralytic stroke in 2016. Her passing, following so closely after Patekar’s, marks the definitive end of a golden era for Indian cinema and regional folk theatre.
News Edit KV Raman
