Kannada actor Harish Rai, best known for his role in Yash’s KGF, died after a long battle with cancer. The actor had been undergoing treatment for several months and breathed his last in Bengaluru.
Popular Kannada actor Harish Rai, best known for his roles in films like Om and Yash’s KGF film, died after battling thyroid cancer for over a year. The 55-year-old actor was an eminent name in the South film industry, having worked in films of Kannada, Tamil, and Telugu languages over several decades.
Mourning his demise, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar took to his X (formerly Twitter) handle and expressed that the film industry has lost one of its finest actors. “The passing away of Harish Rai, the renowned villain actor of Kannada cinema, is an extremely sorrowful event. The film industry has become poorer with the death of Harish Roy, who was suffering from cancer. In films including Om, Hello Yama, as well as KGF and KGF 2, Harish Roy had acted wonderfully and attracted everyone’s attention,” he wrote in Kannada.
“I pray that his soul attains peace and that God grants strength to his family and loved ones, who are in pain from his departure, to bear the sorrow. Om Shanti,” he further added.
Harish Rai’s cancer battle began in 2022. He had then revealed that he purposely grew a beard in the film to hide the swelling caused due to throat cancer.
The actor was also never the one to hide when it came to his health or his hardships. The KGF actor had once openly spoken about the financial strain of his cancer treatment, revealing how daunting the costs had become. Speaking to the media, the actor had revealed that a single injection cost him Rs 3.55 lakh, with three injections required per 63-day cycle – adding up to Rs 10.5 lakh per round.
Rai also maintained remarkable dignity and gratitude while talking about his health concerns. Addressing reports that his KGF co-star Yash had offered help, he clarified that he hadn’t reached out to him this time, despite them sharing a strong bond. “Yash has helped me before. I cannot keep asking him every time. How much can one person do? I know if he comes to know, he will definitely stand by me. He is just one call away, though he is busy with his upcoming film Toxic,” Rai had said.
Harish Rai had a glorious filmography. He acted in several popular films such as Samara, Bangalore Underworld, Jodihakki, Raj Bahadur, Sanju Weds Geetha, Swayamvara, Nalla, and others. However, it was in role has his role in Yash’s KGF as Khasim that turned him into a household name.
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