Highlights
On the morning of Saturday, August 10, 2024, the world of Marathi entertainment lost one of its bright stars when Vijay Kadam, one of the most famous film and theatre actors, passed away at his residence in Mumbai. He was 68 years old and had been doggedly pursuing a long battle with cancer.
A Life in the Limelight
Vijay Kadam was a familiar face to all the viewers of Marathi movies and theater. He was entertaining people with his acting skills for quite a few years. Kadam was not only doing films but was also famous for his stage performances. His major plays that he is known the most for are ‘Turtur’, ‘Vichha Mazi Puri Kara’, and ‘Pappa Sanga Kunache’. These shows used to be quite popular, making Kadam a known figure in Maharashtra.
He made his mark on the silver screen with Marathi films like ‘Irsal Kaarti’ and ‘De Dana Dan’. He did not stop there at Marathi cinema, though. Showing he could entertain people in different languages, Kadam appeared in some Hindi films during his long career.
Veteran actor Vijay Kadam breathed his last at his home in Andheri this morning. 67 year old popular Marathi actor of 80’s & 90’’s was fighting cancer & had recovered to return back to Stage & film performances, but a relapse proved fatal for him. Watch clip of one of his last… pic.twitter.com/9xmbs3jkqd
— MUMBAI NEWS (@Mumbaikhabar9) August 10, 2024
A Friend Remembers
His close friend and co-actor Jaywant Wadkar was the one to share the news of Vijay Kadam’s death. Wadkar had informed a news agency called ANI about Kadam’s death and his battle against the life-threatening disease cancer. He said, “He had been courageously fighting cancer. At first, he got better, but then his health got worse again.”
Wadkar also said that Kadam had been having some health issues in the recent past. “About 25 days ago, he even had a bad case of acidity,” Wadkar explained. This means that the last few weeks of Kadam were struggling as his health deteriorated.
A Talented Artist Lost
Praises belatedly from Jaywant Wadkar for his departed friend. “He was extremely talented. Right from Marathi cinema to Hindi films, he tried all sorts of different projects in his long career,” Wadkar narrated. Least optimistic about such a replacement, Wadkar added, “Sourcing another actor as Vijay Kadam is going to be too difficult. His death has left a big empty space in our industry.”
The bond of two actors on the set had indeed been very deep rooted. Wadkar mentioned, “He’s like my family.”It reflected that people could really get so close to each other in the Marathi entertainment world where they spent years working together.
Saying Goodbye
The funeral procession will see Vijay Kadam’s family, friends, and fans bidding the last goodbyes. His cremation is slated for Saturday afternoon at the Andheri-Oshiwara crematorium in Mumbai. Many bigwigs from the Marathi film and theater fraternity are expected to turn out and pay respects.
He leaves behind his wife and son. While they will no doubt feel the loss most acutely, many fans from across Maharashtra and outside also to a great degree will miss not being able to catch Vijay Kadam on stage and screen.
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A Lasting Legacy
Though Vijay Kadam is no more, his work will continue to entertain people for years to come. All of his performances are recorded through plays and movies and may still be enjoyed by old fans and new audiences alike. The characters he brought to life, the stories he helped tell, shall remain an integral part of Marathi cultural history.
The passing away of Vijay Kadam reminds us just how big a contribution actors make to our lives entertaining, moving us to tears, provoking our minds to think about the world around us in newer ways. When an actor of Kadam’s caliber comes into contact with his audience, it is like a friend, though one does not really know him personally. His art, efforts, and commitment have left their mark on Marathi cinema and theatre.