Mumbai: Multi-faceted Marathi and Hindi actor Atul Parchure passed away of cancer on Monday at age 57.

The actor with a dimpled smile had a flair for comedy, and his presence ensured the promise of a few laughs. His repertoire extended across theatre, cinema and television. Parchure featured in ‘Billu’ with Shah Rukh Khan, ‘Partner’ with Salman Khan and ‘All The Best’ with Ajay Devgn apart from ‘Amhi Satpute’, ‘Conditions Apply’, ‘Navra Maza Navsacha’, ‘Nati Goti’, ‘All The Best’, ‘Khatta Meetha’, ‘Style’, ‘The Kapil Sharma Show’, ‘RK Laxman Ki Duniya’ and ‘Yam Hain Hum’.

CM Eknath Shinde, actor Supriya Pilgaonkar, state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule and MLA Rais Shaikh mourned his passing. Actor Jaywant Wadkar said Parchure was slated to appear in Sunil Barve’s Marathi play ‘Suryachi Pillay’. They were rehearsing together when he was hospitalised five days ago. Shinde tweeted, “The untimely death of Atul Parchure is painful...This loss is not recoverable.”

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Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde on Monday expressed grief over veteran Marathi actor Atul Parchure's death.

Parchure, 57, who was also known for his work in The Kapil Sharma Show passed away on Monday. However, the reason behind his death is yet to be revealed.

In post on X in Marathi, CM Shinde wrote, "The sudden passing of versatile actor Atul Parchure has left fans in deep sorrow. Known for his ability to make audiences laugh heartily or bring tears to their eyes, Parchure had a remarkable career in the performing arts."

He wrote, "Starting from children's theater, Atul Parchure made his mark in plays, films, and television series. He showcased his talent in various productions, including "Tarun Turk," "Mhatre Arka," and "Nati Goti." His performances were enriched with the wit and humor reminiscent of renowned writer P. L. Deshpande."

Parchure played memorable roles in both Marathi and Hindi films, establishing himself as a significant figure in the industry. His untimely departure is a great loss for Marathi theater and cinema, and it feels irreplaceable.

"As one of his many fans, I extend my condolences to his family during this difficult time. May they find strength to cope with this profound loss. I pay my respects to Atul Parchure on behalf of the state government. Om Shanti," CM Shinde stated.

Actor Supriya Pilgaonkar took to her Instagram to pay her last respects to the actor in a post. She said, “Dear friend you shouldn't have been like this, you fought a lot! You have tolerated a lot. You will always be missed. Your silly smile will always be missed. May your soul rest in peace and the strength to endure the pain of the family..”

Atul Parchure was also widely known for his work in the Bollywood films like 'Partner' starring Salman Khan and 'All The Best'. Atul Parchure starred in films such as Shah Rukh Khan’s 'Billu', Salman Khan’s 'Partner', and Ajay Devgn’s 'All The Best'.

Atul, who had also battled cancer, opened up about his health last year. In July 2023, he revealed that due to receiving the wrong treatment, his condition worsened, and he couldn’t walk or talk for a while. In an interview, he shared that he learned about his cancer diagnosis after returning to the country from celebrating his 25th wedding anniversary.

“I had completed 25 years of my marriage. I was fine when we went to Australia and New Zealand. But after a few days, I wasn’t able to eat anything. I felt nauseous and knew something was wrong. My brother later gave me some medicine, but they didn’t help. After visiting many doctors, I was asked to get ultrasonography done. When the doctor did it, I saw fear in his eyes, and I felt something was wrong. I was told I had a tumor about 5 centimeters long in my liver, and it was cancerous. I asked him whether I would recover or not, and he said, ‘Yes, you will,’" he said in a conversation with 'India Today'.

At the time, Atul added that he was misdiagnosed, which led to further health complications. The actor said, “My first procedure after being diagnosed went wrong. My pancreas got affected, and I started having issues. The wrong treatment actually worsened my condition. I couldn’t even walk. I used to fumble while talking. In such a condition, the doctor asked me to wait for one and a half months. They said if they did the surgery, I’d get jaundice for years, my liver would be watery, or I wouldn’t survive. Later, I changed doctors and took proper medication and chemotherapy.”