Ramesh Deo, a veteran actor, died on Wednesday at the age of 93 after a heart attack, according to his filmmaker son Abhinay Deo. “He died of a heart attack at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital at 8.30 p.m. tonight. He was 93 years old when he died “PTI quoted Abhinay Deo as saying.
In his 60-year career, Ramesh appeared in almost 250 Hindi films and approximately 200 Marathi films. In Hindi cinema, he is recognised for films like Anand and Aap Ki Kasam, as well as his considerable work in the Marathi film industry.
The actor was recognised for his unassuming cinematic presence, portraying a wide range of characters, including a kind doctor, a scary villain, and a lovable family friend. He brought his charming signature moustache and smile to the screen, which, depending on the part he performed, would either enchant or terrorise the audience.
In the mid-1960s, he became interested in Hindi movies. He primarily performed as a character actor in films such as Aarti, Anand, Aap Ki Kasam, Mere Apne, Jeevan Mrityu, Saraswatichandra, Teen Bahuraniyan, Khilona, Ghayal Once Again, Jolly LLB, and others, in which he played both good and bad roles.
From Dilip Kumar to Rajesh Khanna to Amitabh Bachchan, the actor effortlessly straddled various film periods. Ramesh played Dr Prakash Kulkarni in filmmaker Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s 1971 masterpiece Anand, with his actress wife Seema Deo. In the film, the couple acted as a screen couple.
Ramesh had also appeared in over 30 Marathi dramas on television. He wasn’t just an actor; he also produced feature films, became a director, supported TV serials, and directed over 250 commercials.
Ramesh Deo, who was born in Amravati, Maharashtra, first appeared in a cameo role in the 1951 Marathi film Paatlaachi Por. His first full-fledged acting role was in Raja Paranjape’s Marathi film Andhala Magto Ek Dola (1956).
Though his career slowed in the 1990s, he continued to work with new-age stars in films such as Akshay Kumar’s Jolly LLB and Sunny Deol’s Ghayal Once Again, which was his final big-screen appearance in 2016.
He is survived by his wife, legendary actress Seema Deo, and two sons, Marathi actor Ajinkya Deo and film director Abhinay Deo. Delhi Belly is Abhinay’s best-known work.
