Pradeep Rawat (21 January 1952 – 4 August 2026) was an Indian actor who worked predominantly in Telugu, Hindi and Tamil language films. Notable for playing villainous roles, Rawat's first appearance was in B.R. Chopra's Mahabharat as Ashwatthama.
In his final years, Rawat transitioned into deeply emotional and heroic parental roles in Nepalese cinema, a stark contrast to his iconic villainous career. Following his death in August 2026, his final completed on-screen performance will be released posthumously in the emotional family drama Aa Bata Aama 2 during the October 2026 Dashain festival.
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Life and career
Rawat was born in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India on 21 January 1952. He was introduced into Telugu cinema with the film Sye. In Tamil cinema, he acted in the film Ghajini (2005) where he appeared in a double negative role. He reprised his role in the Hindi remake. He debuted in Kannada cinema with Parodi; Malayalam cinema with China Town; Bengali cinema with Hero 420 and Bhojpuri cinema with Crack Fighter.
Rawat died of blood cancer in Mumbai, on 4 August 2026, at the age of 74.
Awards
2004: Winner, Filmfare Best Villain Award (Telugu) for Sye
2004: Winner, Santosham Best Villain Award for Sye
2004: Winner, Nandi Award for Best Villain for Sye
2012: Nominated – SIIMA Award for Best Actor in a Negative Role (Telugu) for Mangala
2014: Nominated – SIIMA Award for Best Actor in a Negative Role (Telugu) for Naayak
Filmography
Telugu
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| 2026 || Aa Bata Aama 2 || Father || Nepali || Posthumous release
Other language films
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| 2026 || Aa Bata Aama 2 || Bikram (Father) || Nepali || Posthumous release; sequel to Aa Bata Aama
