Classical danseuse Ashwini Ekbote died on Saturday after collapsing on stage during a performance in Pune, police said.
The 44-year-old , who had also acted in several plays, was performing at the Bharat Natyamandir in Pune Saturday evening when she collapsed on stage, a police official said. When she suffered the attack, she was performing with her co-artistes Reva Natu, Chinmay Joglekar and Anupama Barve-Kulkarni.
This is extremely shocking!!! Dear friend Ashwini Ekbote no more! So young, so fit, so full of life..! RIP ššš
— sonalikulkarni (@sonalikulkarni) October 22, 2016
The programme was halted and Ekbote was rushed to a nearby Gore Hospital, where the doctors declared her dead on arrival. She was taken to a nearby hospital where she was declared dead, the official said.
Ashwini’s friends from the Marathi film industry took to social media to share their shock at the news. Actress Sonali Kulkarni wrote on Twitter, “This is extremely shocking!!! Dear friend Ashwini Ekbote no more! So young, so fit, so full of life..! RIP.”
She always treated me like a son on set. My first casting of script. Jus can't accept that she is no more. RIP #AshwiniEkbote pic.twitter.com/5VFRSje4Hn
— Bhagyesh Desai (@DesaiBhagyesh) October 22, 2016
Ekbote was a part of TV series ‘Ganpati Bappa Morya’ on Colors Marathi. She is also famous for her roles in films like ‘Debu’, Danyavar Danka’, ‘Taptapadi’ etc. She has also acted in various TV shows like ‘Duheri’, ‘Radha Hi Bawari’ and ‘Durva’.
Unbelievable... RIP Ashwini Ekbote... pic.twitter.com/EPvl7C2BHx
— Ravi Jadhav (@meranamravi) October 22, 2016