Veteran actor Sameer Khakhar, known for playing Khopdi in Nukkad, passes away at 70

Written By DNA Web Team | Updated: Mar 15, 2023, 12:29 PM IST

Sameer Khakhar/Twitter

Sameer Khakhar also appeared in multiple other films and serials such as Circus, Shrimaan Shrimati, Awwal Number, Parinda, and Raja Babu among others.

Veteran television and film actor Sameer Khakar has passed away at 70. The actor, best known for playing Khopdi in the cult Doordarshan television series Nukkad, breathed his last on Wednesday early morning at M M Hospital, Borivali, where he was admitted after facing respiratory problems yesterday.

His brother Ganesh Khakhar confirmed his demise to Times Now and said, "Yesterday afternoon he was not feeling well, he was unconscious. On Tuesday (March 14), he was taken to the hospital." The report also added that the late actor's funeral will take place today at Babhai Naka Crematorium, Borivali.

Blessed with a roly-poly personality, and large eyes on a roundish face, Khakhar is best known for his role as a drunkard in the popular comedy-serial Nukkad directed by Kundan Shah and Saeed Mirza and was telecast on Doordarshan in 1986-1987. Dilip Dhawan, Rama Vij, and Pawan Malhotra also acted in the serial.

The National Award-winning director Hansal Mehta, who has helmed movies such as Shahid, Aligarh, and Omerta, shared how he was called Khopdi during his college days and is still called by the same name. Sharing Sameer's photos, he tweeted, "For some reason, I was nicknamed Khopdi in college after his iconic character in Nukkad. My closest friends from the time still call me Khopdi. But I guess it’s time to say goodbye to the OG. Goodbye, Sameer Khakhar. Thank you for the memories."

Sameer Khakhar also appeared in films such as Parinda, Shehzaade, Awwal Number, Raja Babu, Aatank Hi Aatank, and Patakha to name a few. Apart from Nukkad, he was also seen in other serials including Circus, Shrimaan Shrimati, and Sanjivani among others. He was most recently seen in the ZEE5 web series Sunflower in 2021.

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