Shahnawaz Pradhan, who played Sindabad the Sailor in 'Alif Laila', passes away at 56!

Shahnawaz Pradhan, best known for his portrayal of Sindabad the Sailor in the popular fantasy TV series Alif Laila (1993-97), passed away on Friday (17 February), after suffering a heart attack at a function.

As per media reports, Pradhan was attending a function when he experienced a severe pain in his chest and collapsed on the floor. He was immediately rushed to Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital where he was pronounced dead. He was 56.

Fans and industry colleagues pay tribute to Shahnawaz Pradhan

As soon as the news broke out, social media was flooded with messages of condolences from fans and industry colleagues who grieved the actor's demise.

Rajesh Tailang, who worked with Pradhan in the 'Mirzapur' series wrote: "Aakhri Salaam!!! What an amazing human being and what a wonderful actor you were. I can’t believe what a beautiful time we had together during Mirzapur".

Shahnawaz Pradhan has featured in numerous TV shows and films

Born on 06 December 1963 in Odisha, Shahnawaz Pradhan was 7 years old when his family moved to Raipur in Chhattisgarh. He showed keen interest in performing arts and joined the local drama group when he was in college. He later moved to Mumbai in 1991 to pursue his dream of acting on big screen.

In a career spanning several decades, Pradhan has been a part of some memorable shows and films. He played Hafeez Saeed in Kabir Khan’s 'Phantom' and has also featured in films like in 'Pyaar Koi Khel Nahin', 'Raees', 'M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story' and 'Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitaare'.

Some of his prominent work on television includes the hit shows 'Alif Laila', 'Jan se Jantantra Tak', 'Shri Krishna', 'Dekh Bhai Dekh', 'Byomkesh Bakshi' and '24'. He was also recently seen in popular web series like 'Mirzapur' and 'Hostages'.