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Ramlila tragedy in India: Actor dies on stage playing Dashrath
At first, the moment seemed like part of the performance, but within seconds it became clear that something was terribly wrong.
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Staff Reporter - Wed, 24, Sep 2025
- 02:23 EDT
- 27
Ramlila / Facebook/Samachar First
As Ramlila performances light up stages across India during the Navratri season, a tragedy struck in Himachal Pradesh’s Chamba on Sept. 23. A 70-year-old veteran actor, Amresh Mahajan, who was performing the role of King Dashrath, collapsed on stage mid-dialogue and was later declared dead at a hospital.
The incident occurred around 8.30 pm at the iconic Chamba Chaugan ground, where the annual Ramlila has been staged for decades. Mahajan, seated on the throne as Dashrath, was delivering his lines when he suddenly leaned onto the shoulder of a co-actor.
At first, the moment seemed like part of the performance, but within seconds it became clear that something was terribly wrong. The curtains came down, and Mahajan was rushed to Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru Government Medical College, where doctors confirmed he had suffered a fatal cardiac arrest.
For nearly 25 years, Mahajan had been a familiar face in Chamba’s Ramlila, alternating between the roles of Dashrath and Ravana. Known for his dedication, he continued to rehearse and perform every year despite his advancing age. Organisers recalled that he had told them this would be his final season before stepping away from the stage. In a cruel irony, those words proved true.
“We are devastated,” said Swapan Mahajan, president of the Shri Ram Leela Club. “He wasn’t just an actor—he embodied the spirit of Ramlila in Chamba.”
The incident follows a similar tragedy in Delhi last year, when an actor portraying Lord Ram died mid-performance.
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