Kavita Chaudhary, known for playing IPS officer Kalyani Singh in DD Show Udaan, dies of heart attack; tributes pour in

Veteran actor Kavita Chaudhary, known for her role in the Doordarshan show Udaan, died on Thursday. She was battling cancer for years.

Kavita Chaudhary (whose real name as per her Instagram account is Kaveta Chaudhry), still remembered for playing Kalyani Singh in the 1989 television show Udaan, has died. The veteran actor's death was confirmed by her nephew in an interview to The Indian Express. Kavita, who was 67, died on Thursday night in Amritsar from a heart attack. The funeral was reportedly held on Friday.

Kavita Chaudhary has died. She was seen as Kalyani Singh in Udaan, which also featured Satish Kaushik.

Kavita Chaudhary died on Thursday

Kavita's nephew Ajay Sayal told the portal, "She died due to cardiac arrest on Thursday at 8.30 pm. She breathed her last at Parvati Devi Hospital in Amritsar, where she was being treated.”

Speaking to The Indian Express, actor Anang Desai also said, “I came to know this morning that Kavita is no more. She died last night. It is very sad. She was our batchmate at the National School of Drama. We studied together at NSD for three years during our training. Kavita, I, Satish Kaushik, Anupam (Kher), Govind Namdev were together in the same batch."

Kaveta Chaudhry was battling cancer

As per an India Today report, Kavita Chaudhary's close friend Suchitra Verma, revealed that the actor had been battling cancer for years and was visibly in pain during their last meeting a year ago, while undergoing chemotherapy. “I feel miserable to have lost her and never got a chance to meet her. I never knew her condition would deteriorate so much suddenly,” Suchitra said.

Actor Anang Desai had also told The Indian Express, “She had cancer a few years ago, we have met after that also, but she wanted to keep it private so we never spoke about it. She was originally from Amritsar and died there. I spoke to her about fifteen days ago when she was in Mumbai, she was not keeping too well. Kavita’s nephew informed me about her death this morning."

‘Her work inspired countless women’

Suchitra also paid the late actor a heartfelt tribute on Instagram, writing alongside a photo of herself and Kavita Chaudhary, "My heart feels heavy as I share this news with you all. Last night, we lost a beacon of strength, inspiration, and grace - Kavita. For those who grew up in the 70s and 80s, she was the face of the Udaan series on DD and the iconic 'Surf' commercial, but to me, she was much more than that." Fans on X and Instagram were also sharing old ads featuring the late actor.

Suchitra also wrote on Instagram, "She wasn't just a symbol of women empowerment; she lived and breathed it. Her work inspired countless women to pursue their dreams, especially in the Indian Police Services. Her legacy of empowerment will continue to resonate for generations to come."