Kannada actor Harish Rai aka KGF’s chacha passes away after battling cancer

Harish Rai, fondly remembered for his roles as Don Rai in the cult classic Om and Chacha in KGF, had been suffering from thyroid cancer that had spread to his stomach.

Veteran Kannada actor Harish Rai, who had been battling cancer, passed away on Thursday at Kidwai Hospital in Bengaluru.

Harish Rai, fondly remembered for his roles as Don Rai in the cult classic Om and Chacha in KGF, had been suffering from thyroid cancer that had spread to his stomach.

His body was thin and weak from the illness, and his stomach was swollen from water retention. Fans, many of whom had been praying for his recovery, were deeply saddened by his condition. Unfortunately, he was unable to survive despite treatment.

Gopi Gowdru, a social media influencer, recently paid a visit to the ailing actor and posted a video to the internet. In it, Harish Rai publicly requested financial assistance and stated that he hoped to resume acting once his health improved. He also emphasised how much his treatment would cost.

Earlier, Rai had spoken to the media about the expense, revealing that a single injection cost Rs 3.55 lakh. Doctors had prescribed three injections per cycle over 63 days, totaling Rs 10.5 lakh per cycle.

In many cases, patients required 17 to 20 injections, which meant his overall treatment was estimated to cost around Rs 70 lakh.

When asked about reports that KGF star Yash had offered assistance, Harish Rai clarified that he had not approached him yet.

“Yash has helped me before. I cannot keep asking him every time. How much can one person do? I haven’t informed him about my health, but 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. I’ve told my family and sons to reach out to him if anything happens to me, because I know he won’t turn away,” Rai said.

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Over his long career, Harish Rai appeared in Kannada, Tamil, and Telugu films, including Om, Samara, Bangalore Underworld, Jodihakki, Raj Bahadur, Sanju Weds Geetha, Swayamvara, Nalla, and both chapters of KGF.

His passing marks a significant loss to the Indian film industry, where he was loved for his versatile performances.