Veteran actor Sadhu Meher passed away, CM expresses condolence

Bhubaneswar: Veteran actor, producer and director from Odisha Sadhu Meher passed away at his residence in Mumbai on Friday. He was 84.

ବିଶିଷ୍ଟ ଚଳଚ୍ଚିତ୍ର ଅଭିନେତା ତଥା ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦେଶକ ସାଧୁ ମେହେରଙ୍କ ଦେହାନ୍ତ ବିଷୟରେ ଜାଣି ମୁଁ ଦୁଃଖିତ। ନିଖୁଣ ଅଭିନୟ ଦ୍ୱାରା ସେ ଉଭୟ ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଓ ହିନ୍ଦୀ ଚଳଚ୍ଚିତ୍ରରେ ନିଜର ସ୍ୱତନ୍ତ୍ର ଛାପ ଛାଡ଼ିଯାଇଛନ୍ତି। ସେ ହେଉଛନ୍ତି ଜାତୀୟ ଚଳଚ୍ଚିତ୍ର ପୁରସ୍କାରରେ ସମ୍ମାନିତ ହୋଇଥିବା ପ୍ରଥମ ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଅଭିନେତା। ତାଙ୍କ ବିୟୋଗ କଳା ଜଗତ ପାଇଁ…

— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) February 2, 2024

Mourning his death, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said that Meher has left a mark with his flawless performances in both Hindi and Odia films. “He is the first Odia actor to be honoured with the National Film Award. His departure is an irreparable loss to the art world,” he said, while expressing condolences to the bereaved family.

A native of Guvellipadar village near Palsagura in Boud district, Meher began his career with Hindi films like ‘Bhuvan Shome’, ‘Ankur’, and ‘Mrigaya’. He then shifted his interest towards Odia films. He gained prominence in parallel cinema in the mid- 1980s. He acted in Byomkesh Bakshi’s episodes – ‘Aadim Shatru’ and ‘Chakrant’ as Anadi Haldar and Bishupal respectively.

He also acted in Anil Kapoor and Kajol starrer ‘Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hai’.

He had directed movies like Abhimaan, Aparichita, Desire, Abhilasha, Babula, Gopa Re Badhhuchhi Kala Kanhei.

Meher had won National Film Award for Best Actor for ‘Ankur’. He was conferred with Padma Shri in 2017 for his lifetime contribution to the field of entertainment. He was felicitated by the Odisha government with Jaydev Samman in 2011