Dehradun, Aug. 9 -- Indian cinema lost one of its most formidable screen villains with the passing of veteran actor Pradeep Rawat, who died after a prolonged battle with blood cancer at a Mumbai hospital last evening. He was 74. Rawat had reportedly overcome blood cancer four years ago, but the disease relapsed about six weeks ago. He had been undergoing treatment for nearly a month before succumbing to the illness.

Though born in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, on 21 January 1952, Pradeep Rawat never forgot his ancestral roots in Uttarakhand. His family hailed from Pauri Garhwal, and he remained emotionally attached to the hills throughout his life. Whenever opportunities arose, he proudly spoke about his Garhwali heritage and maintained clos...