Ramlila Tragedy : A festive celebration took a tragic turn when a 73-year-old actor collapsed and died on stage during a Ramleela performance in Chamba, Himachal Pradesh. The actor, Amresh Mahajan, was portraying the character of King Dashrath at the time of the incident.
Mahajan reportedly suffered a cardiac attack mid-scene while delivering lines in a conversation with the character of sage Vishwamitra. In a chilling coincidence, his character had just declared, “I will sacrifice my life for you,” before he suddenly collapsed.
VIDEO | Himachal Pradesh: During the staging of the historic Shri Ramlila at Chamba’s Chaugan Maidan, actor Amresh Mahajan, popularly known as Shibu, collapsed and passed away due to cardiac arrest while performing the role of King Dashrath.
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According to PTI, the performance was taking place at Chaugan Maidan in Chamba around 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday. The event was in its second day, featuring the Sita Swayamvara scene. During the performance, Mahajan leaned onto a fellow actor’s shoulder, which was initially assumed to be part of the act.
However, when he stopped responding, fellow performers realized something was wrong. He was quickly taken to the hospital, where doctors confirmed his death.
Amresh Mahajan, affectionately known as Shibu, lived in Mughala Mohalla and had been a fixture in the local Ramleela for four decades. Known for playing both Dashrath and Ravana, he had announced that this year’s performance would be his final appearance in the traditional drama.
