New Delhi: Actor Roopa Ganguly, globally renowned for her portrayal of Draupadi in B.R. Chopra’s iconic serial Mahabharat (1988-1990), became visibly emotional and broke down in tears while reminiscing about her late co-star, Pankaj Dheer, who passed away recently after a battle with cancer.
Ganguly, who learned of Pankaj Dheer’s demise—who played the tragic hero Karna—just moments before her exclusive conversation with NDTV, expressed shock and sorrow. She confirmed she had received the heartbreaking news from another Mahabharat veteran, Nitish Bharadwaj (Lord Krishna).
“I can’t imagine he left us at this age. I am so sorry to hear this. I don’t know what to say,” were her initial stunned comments.
’My Most Handsome Friend’
The actor was overcome with emotion when discussing her last interactions with Dheer, stating she was unaware of his illness. “I talked to him over a text probably a year ago. But he never spoke to me about his illness,” she recalled, breaking into tears.
Despite the grief, Roopa Ganguly fondly remembered Pankaj Dheer’s gentle demeanor and striking looks during their time on the set of the epic serial.
”Pankaj Dheer was the most handsome man on the set after Nitish Bharadwaj. I used to send him texts calling him, ‘my most handsome friend.’ He knew people called him ‘handsome’,” she shared, smiling through her tears.
She characterized him as a reserved, well-mannered, and soft-spoken gentleman, contrasting him with their more “playful” co-stars, Puneet Issar (Duryodhan) and Firoz Khan (Arjun).
Roopa Ganguly added that while she hadn’t met him in person for years due to her short trips to Mumbai, they continued to exchange texts “on and off,” underscoring the enduring connection among the legendary cast members.
Pankaj Dheer’s impactful performances were not limited to Mahabharat. He was also widely loved for his role as Raja Shivdutt in the cult fantasy show Chandrakanta.
