Coronavirus update: Veteran actress Ashalata Wabgaonkar dies at 79

Veteran Marathi actress Ashalata Wabgaonkar, 79, died this morning at a private hospital in Satara, Maharashtra, where she had been undergoing treatment for COVID-19.

Ashalata, as she was often credited, was shooting for a mythological serial, Aai Majhi Kalubai, in the Western Maharashtra city when she and about 20 members of the crew tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus around a week ago.

While the others were asked to quarantine themselves at home, the veteran actress, the only member of the cast to test positive, was admitted to the hospital. About three days ago her condition worsened and she was put on ventilator support.

Ashalata acted in over 100 films and innumerable plays and TV serials. Born and raised in Goa, she started her acting career in theatre, primarily in Marathi and Konkani plays. She later starred in the popular Marathi films Umbartha (1982), Navri Mile Navryala (1984) and Vahinichi Maya (1985).

She made her Hindi film debut with Basu Chatterji's Apne Paraye (1980) for which she was nominated for the Filmfare award for Best Supporting Actress. She also acted in films such as Ahista Ahista (1981), Shaukeen (1982), Namak Halaal (1982), Woh 7 Din (1983) and Ankush (1986).

Ashalata is survived by a son.