I.S. Saluja

MUMBAI/ NEW YORK (TIP): Film, television and theater actor Ranjit Chowdhry passed away in Mumbai on Wednesday, April  15 at the age of 65.

Ranjit was the son of Mumbai theatre heavyweight Pearl Padamsee and the stepson of ad film maverick, Alyque Padamsee, also remembered for playing MA Jinnah in Ben Kingsley’s Gandhi.

According to a report in Pinkvilla, Ranit had moved to the US in 1980 and been active as a writer and actor there too. Ranjit is best remembered for playing Jagan Gupta in Hrithikesh Mukherjee’s iconic film, Khubsoorat. The song Saare Niyam Tod Do, where he features alongside Rekha, is still fondly remembered by all. During that period he worked in films such Basu Chatterjee’s Khatta Meetha and Baaton Mein.

After moving to the US, Ranjit worked in a number of US shows, the most famous being The Office. He appeared as Vikram. He reportedly also wrote the screenplay for Deepta Mehta’s Sam & Me, for which he also found an honorable mention at the Cannes Film Festival.

I got an opportunity to work with him in Tirlok Malik’s film ‘On Golden Years’ . I have lost a friend and  mentor.

Tirlok Malik and the entire cast of ‘On Golden Years’ mourned the  passing away of the great artist.

We will miss you. RIP.