Veteran actor Achyut Potdar, best known for his role in ‘3 Idiots’, passed away on August 18 at Jupiter Hospital in Thane, Maharashtra. He was 91.
Potdar had been hospitalised for some time due to health complications, though the exact cause of death has not been disclosed. His last rites will be held today in Thane.
In a career spanning four decades, Potdar appeared in over 125 Hindi and Marathi films, winning praise for both mainstream and critically acclaimed roles. His notable works include ‘Akrosh’, ‘Tezaab’, ‘Parinda’, ‘Dilwale’, ‘Rangeela’, ‘Hum Saath Saath Hain’, ‘Parineeta’, ‘Lage Raho Munna Bhai’, ‘Dabangg 2’ and ‘Ventilator’.
His brief role as a professor in Rajkumar Hirani’s 3 Idiots (2009) remains memorable, with his line “Hey, kehna kya chahte ho?” (Hey, what do you mean?) still popular as a meme.
Potdar was also a familiar face on television, appearing in shows such as ‘Bharat Ek Khoj’, ‘All the Best’ (Doordarshan), ‘Pradhan Mantri’ (Zee TV), ‘Aahat’ (Sony TV), ‘Wagle Ki Duniya’ and ‘Majha Hoshil Na’ (Zee Marathi).
Before his acting career, Potdar served as a captain in the Indian Army until 1967, and later worked with Indian Oil for 25 years. After retiring in 1992, he began acting full-time at the age of 44.
His death has cast a pall of grief across Bollywood, Marathi cinema, and the television industry.