Veteran actor Vijay Crishna, who played Shah Rukh Khan's father in Devdas, dies at 81

Lillete Dubey paid a heartfelt tribute for veteran actor Vijay Crishna and shared that he will never be forgotten.

Updated on: Mar 4, 2026, 16:32:43 IST

By Santanu Das

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Veteran actor Vijay Crishna has died at the age of 81. Actor Lillete Dubey confirmed the news of the actor's death on her Instagram account through a new post on March 3. Sharing that she is heartbroken, Lillete fondly remembered him as a ‘brilliant actor.’ Vijay played Shah Rukh Khan's father in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Devdas.

Shah Rukh Khan's Devdas co-star Vijay Crishna died at the age of 81.

Lillete Dubey pays tribute

Sharing a picture with Vijay, Lillete penned an emotional note to pay him tribute. She wrote, “Heartbroken.. our dearest Vijay Crishna .. part of our theatre family & ‘Dance like a Man’ for over 25 years .. has passed away.. a man of many parts .. a brilliant actor, handsome, charming, bright with his dry tongue in cheek trademark humour, he was much loved & cherished by us all .. so many memories flood the heart & mind & overwhelm me.”

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A post shared by Lillete Dubey (@lilletedubeyofficial)

She continued, “RIP my Jairaj .. you will never be forgotten.. May you entertain the angels as you did us all here .. love & prayers for his lovely wife Smita, girls Nyrika & Freyan & the whole family.”

Anupam Kher reacts

Reacting to the post, Anupam Kher wrote, “That is so so sad. Om shanti!” Saif Ali Khan's sister, Saba wrote, “Thats very sad news. My sincere condolences to his family n all those who worked or knew him. May he rest in peace.” Director Nupur Asthana commented, “This is very sad news. My deepest condolences.”

The cause of the actor's death has not yet been disclosed by the family.

About his career

Vijay Crishna was a very well-known face in Indian theatre, where he performed for over two decades. He earned a lot of praise for his role in the 2004 English film Dance Like a Man, which was based on a play by Mahesh Dattani. He is best remembered for playing the father of Shah Rukh Khan’s character in the 2002 film Devdas. The Sanjay Leela Bhansali film also starred Aishwarya Rai and Madhuri Dixit.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Santanu Das
Santanu Das is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 5 years of experience, writing on films, pop culture and film festivals. He has a keen interest in writing about South Asian independent films and has covered several film festivals, including Sundance and CPH: Docx. He also brings a sharp perspective to the monthly column called The Fault in Our Stars, where he writes about a recent film/series and what stops the ‘good’ from becoming ‘great’. A gold medalist from Banaras Hindu University, Santanu completed his postgraduate studies in English from Jadavpur University. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes-certified film critic. When not watching films or speaking to celebrities, Santanu can be found reading a book. Some of his favourite films are Aparajito, Ponyo and The Double Life of Veronique. His favourite books include The Corrections, The God of Small Things and A Room of One's Own. Santanu continues to write passionately about films and celebrity culture. He brings a relatable, as well as critically informed, lens to entertainment and culture for a wide audience. Find him on LinkedIn: santanudasfilm Instagram: @santupechaRead More

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