Deven Verma passed away in Pune following cardiac arrest. (Source: Express photo) Deven Verma passed away in Pune following cardiac arrest. (Source: Express photo)

Veteran Hindi film and television actor Deven Verma passed away at Sahyadri Hospital in Pune at 2 am on Tuesday. He had been unwell for some time and was suffering from heart problem and diabetes.

Arup Kumar, brother of Verma’s wife, said, “He had been unwell for the last one-and-a-half years. He had diabetes since the last 35 years. Off late, he had developed heart problem as well. He was hospitalised on Monday evening and was in the ICU. At about 1.45 am, he passed away.”

He was 77 and is survived by his wife Rupa Ganguly, who is the daughter of late famous actor Ashok Kumar. His funeral will take place at 12 noon at Yerwada today.

Born and brought up in Pune, Verma had worked in several famous films and was particularly known for his comic roles in films such as Angoor, Golmaal, Rang Birangi, Chori Mera Kaam and Chor Ke Ghar Chor among others.

Among the new films in which he acted were ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’, ‘Ishq’, ‘Kya Kehna’, ‘Salaakhein’, ‘Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai’ and ‘Hulchul’. His last Hindi film was ‘Calcutta Mail’ that released in 2003.

A graduate in politics and sociology, Varma studied at Pune’s Nowrosjee Wadia College for Arts and Science between 1953 and 1957. The college had even organised a function in his honour in 2012 on college foundation day and had felicitated Verma as an ‘Eminent Wadian’.

“During the function he spoke for about 10 to 15 minutes and shared that Wadia college gave him his first lesson in drama when he started participating in college drama festivals. The exposure, he said, helped him in his future career,” said VP Bonde, former principal of the college.

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