Actor Anup Kumar dead

Actor Anup Kumar Ganguly, brother of the legendary actor Ashok Kumar and late melody king Kishore Kumar, died on Saturday following a severe cardiac arrest.

He was 71 and is survived by four daughters and a son. Anup, of Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi fame, was unwell for quite some time. The end came at 0415 hrs, when he suffered the fourth heart stroke in the Aryogyanidhi hospital, Juhu, north west Bombay, where he was admitted last Saturday.

The last rites were performed by his son Arjun on Saturday afternoon at the Juhu crematorium. Amit Kumar, Leena Ganguly and Asha Parekh were among those present. However, 84-year-old Ashok Kumar could not attend the funeral due to illness.

Anup came to Bombay from Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh, in his early twenties at Ashok Kumar's behest. He started out as a character actor and as a comedian in Hindi films. He was also known for his singing ability like his brothers and lent his voice for a few films.

His most memorable roles are in films like Junglee, Dekh Kabira Roya and Gena. He hit the big time with Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi which also featured his famous brothers. He also acted in television serials like Talaash and Bhim Bhavani.

UNI