Veteran actress Ashalata Wabgaonkar, who was reportedly suffering from Covid-19, died in the early hours of Tuesday after a four-day battle with her illness at a private hospital in Satara.
She was 79 and had been hospitalised in a critical condition last weekend. The end came at the hospital. Former Chief Minister of Goa, Digambar Kamat, confirmed the news in a tweet, paying tribute to the Goa-born actress.
"Deeply pained by the passing away of acclaimed Goan Artist Ashalata Wabgaonkar. Her splendid performances in theatre & films will keep inspiring the generations to come. My condolences to her family & fans. May her soul rest in peace," Kamat tweeted.
Ashalata worked in over 100 Hindi and Marathi films. Her notable Hindi films include "Apne Paraye", "Ankush", "Woh 7 Din", "Ahista Ahista", "Shaukeen", and "Namak Halal". Her Marathi films include "Umbartha", "Sutradhar", and "Vahinichi Maya". Ashalata had acted in theatre too, notably the Marathi plays "Chinna", "Gunata Hridhya He", and "Varyavarchi Varaat".
She also authored a book, "Gard Sabhowati". Ashalata reportedly contracted Covid-19 a week ago while shooting for a mythological show.