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Alka Kubal performs last rites for late co-star Ashalata Wabgaonkar who died after Covid-19 diagnosis
Ashalata Wabgaonkar died on Tuesday in Satara. As her family could not arrive in time from Mumbai, her co-star Alka Kubal performed her last rites. The veteran actor was diagnosed with Covid-19.
Veteran Marathi actor Ashalata Wabgaonkar died at a hospital in Satara following a brief illness early Tuesday morning, hospital authorities said. She was 79 and had tested positive for Covid-19.
As her family members could not have arrived in Satara on time, Ashalata’s co-star Alka Kubal performed her last rites. The two were very close and she was the one tending to Ashalata in her final days at the hospital.
Speaking to Mumbai Mirror, Alka said Ashalata has asked her not to tell her family about her health and in ‘worst case scenario’ Alka should perform her last rites as well. Alka said that the veteran actor was doing well even until Tuesday and they were hopeful she would be able to walk soon. However, her condition deteriorated later that night and she was put on ventilator. She died on Tuesday at 4.45 am.
“Her family couldn’t come due to the ongoing pandemic and told us to cremate her in Satara and not bring her body down to Mumbai. I’m honoured I could fulfil her last wish given that she was like a mother to me,” she said.
Alka said that Ashalata was shooting for her Marathi TV serial Aai Mazi Kalubai when more than two dozen crew members tested positive for the coronavirus “She was an independent and disciplined woman who even at 83, didn’t require any kind of medication and joined us in Satara for the shoot of my Marathi serial, Aai Mazi Kalubai, a month ago. Since she was a senior citizen, as per government requirement, she had given us in writing that she was shooting by choice. The whole unit had taken Covid-19 tests before coming on location and all SOPs were followed on the set. But such is the unpredictability of this virus that 22 members tested positive after reporting to work about a week ago. They all recovered within five days but are still home quarantined. In Ashalataji’s case, though the spirit was strong, age was a deterrent,” she said.
Ashalata acted in several Marathi and Hindi films, and Marathi plays. Expressing grief over Wabgaonkar’s death, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray paid rich tributes to the actress and described her as a versatile artist. “We have lost a versatile actress who left her mark in Marathi theatre, films and the Hindi film industry with her performances,” Thackeray said.
Lata Mangeshkar was among film celebs that paid rich tributes. "I am very sad to hear the news of the very famous actress Ashalata Wabgaonkar ji's death. We honoured her with the Dinanath Pratishthan award. We had a very good relationship. May God grant her soul peace," Mangeshkar wrote on Twitter.
Shabana Azmi, who has worked with the late actor in 1980 film Apne Paraye, also mourned her death. "Deeply saddened. I had the pleasure of working with #Ashalataji in Basu Chatterjee’s #Apne Paraye and she was a delight to work with. Condolences to the family. RIP," Azmi said.
As per another Mumbai Mirror report, Bharatiya Marathi Chitrapat Mahamandal, an actors body, has decided to take action against the show’s producers after 27 persons from the crew were reportedly found positive for Covid-19. Meghraj Rajebhosale, chairman of the association, said, “We will take action against the producers concerned if they continue to shoot without following necessary safety norms put in place by the government. During a probe, we noticed that social distancing rules were violated while filming Aai Mazi Kalubai.”
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