Veteran actor Ava Mukherjee, who played Shah Rukh Khan’s grandmother in Devdas, dies at 88

Veteran actor Ava Mukherjee died in Mumbai on Monday. She was 88.

Veteran Bollywood actor Avav Mukhrejee is no more. She breathed her last in Mumbai on January 15. She was 88.

Ava Mukherjee in a still from Detective Naani.

One of the most recognisable faces in the Indian advertisement industry, Ava Mukherjee was known for playing grandmother in television commercials and films.

She ventured into acting in films with 1963 Bengali film, Ram Dhakka. The film was directed by Taru Mukherjee. However, she waited for a long time to return to films. It happened with Hindi film Snip in 2000.

She landed the role of Shah Rukh Khan’s grandmother in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus, Devdas (2002). This role made her a favourite with millions. Her benevolent face and mild mannerism were perfect fit in Bollywood filmmakers’ scheme of things.

Later, she was seen in Ram Gopal Varma’s Darna Zaroori Hai. She played the lead role in Detective Naani (2009). The film was directed by her daughter Romilla Mukherjee.