Veteran theatre and film actor Arvind Trivedi, who shot to fame with his role of Ravan in Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan, died due to cardiac arrest last night. He was 82. Trivedi was having age-related health issues, according to his nephew and Gujarat theatre producer Kaustubh Trivedi.

The last rites were performed at the Dahanukarwadi Crematorium in Kandivali on Wednesday. Brother of veteran Gujarati actor Upendra, Arvind Trivedi also acted in another popular television series like Vikram Aur Betaal and Vishwamitra. He featured in over 300 Gujarati and Hindi films.

In 1991, he briefly joined politics and was elected as a Lok Sabha MP, serving a full term till 1996. He also served as the CBFC Chairman for a brief period in 2002-2003. 

Arvind's co-star Sunil Lahri shared this heartbreaking news along with a picture of the late actor and wrote on Instagram, "Bahut dukhad Samachar hai ki Hamare Sabke Pyare Arvind bhai (Ravan of Ramayan) Ab Hamare bich Nahin Rahe Bhagwan Unki Atma ko Shanti De (This is very sad news. Our dear Arvind Bhai is no longer with us. May God bring peace to his soul)" [sic]

Dipika Chikhlia too posted a message on Instagram with his photo, “my heart felt condolences to his family …a very fine human being #arvindtrivedi #ravan [sic]"

In an exclusive interview with mid-day.com, the popular actress, who played the role of Sita in Ramayan, said, "He was a very helpful person, yet very professional. Not professional from the point of view that ‘tum apna kaam karo main apna.’ When I say professional, I mean he was very dedicated when given his lines. He was religious by nature, he would do his Shiv tandav stotram. Later he was also one of the reasons I joined BJP and we were in Lok Sabha together.”

Dipika, who paid her last respects at the cremation today, says, “The sad part is all of last year, we kept planning to meet along with Laxman (Sunil Lahri), but it didn’t happen. His speech had slurred and he wasn’t able to communicate properly. I was also in touch with his wife and two daughters. He was a fine human being.”

Several prominent personalities from the Gujarati and Hindi film industry, including his co-actors in Sagar's 1986 television magnum opus Ramayan, mourned Trivedi's demise.