Pradeep Rawat’s battle with blood cancer took a rapid and unexpected turn, according to his son Vikramaditya, who noted that the actor’s routine medical tests had returned normal results only two months before he was diagnosed. Speaking to the media following the last rites in Mumbai on Wednesday, Vikramaditya recounted his father’s final moments, revealing that he understood the end was near when he saw doctors performing CPR on him in the ICU.
Pradeep Rawat was initially misdiagnosed with stomach infection
According to Vikramaditya, the family first believed Rawat was battling a stomach infection since doctors had prescribed medication to treat his symptoms. However, his condition worsened, prompting further tests that revealed an abnormally elevated white blood cell count. This led the family to rush him to Kokilaben Hospital, where doctors indicated a 99 per cent probability of blood cancer, a suspicion confirmed the following day.
Pradeep Rawat’s son recalls the moment he understood the end was near
Vikramaditya explained that the cancer his father battled was a rare and particularly aggressive form of the disease. He noted that just two months prior, routine medical tests had come back completely normal, which made the diagnosis even harder to process. Struggling to hold back tears, Vikramaditya went on to describe his father’s final moments. “We rushed outside the ICU. All the doctors were inside. I opened the door and saw them giving him CPR. That’s when I understood,” he said to media. He shared that his mother collapsed emotionally right after, adding that he now believes his father is “in a better place.”
Pradeep Rawat’s funeral attended by Aamir Khan, ‘Lagaan’ co-stars
Pradeep passed away on August 4 at the age of 74, following his battle with a rare form of blood cancer. Numerous members of the film fraternity, including Aamir Khan and his Lagaan co-stars, turned up at the funeral to pay their respects. Amid the family’s sorrow, Vikramaditya conveyed his gratitude to everyone who had come to bid farewell to his father, including Aamir Khan and the rest of the cast. “He’s happy that so many people showed up. I’m sure he’s very happy. Thank you very much,” he said.
Pradeep Rawat’s memorable roles in films and television
Rawat earned recognition for his roles in films like ‘Ghajini’ and ‘Lagaan’, as well as for playing Ashwatthama in BR Chopra’s television adaptation of ‘Mahabharat’. Beyond Bollywood, he also built a substantial body of work in South Indian cinema. Go to Source
