Marathi Actress and Lavani Performer Madhu Kambikar Dies at 73

Marathi actress and Lavani performer Madhu Kambikar died in Pune on October 12, 2026, at age 73, after a prolonged illness, according to reports. Her exact cause of death has not been disclosed. Kambikar worked across Marathi cinema, theatre and traditional folk performance during a career spanning more than four decades. She was known both for her film roles and for her performances in Lavani, a traditional Maharashtrian art form combining music, dance and storytelling. Reports say her health declined after a stroke in November 2016, which kept her away from stage performances for years. She suffered the stroke after a Lavani performance at Yashwant Natya Mandir in Mumbai. The reports connect her subsequent health problems with that episode but do not establish it as the cause of her death. Kambikar’s film work included Ek Hota Vidushak, Shapit, Zhapatlela and Yeu Ka Gharat. She also performed in theatre and folk productions and appeared in television serials. Her Lavani performances included Bharla Abhaal Paasvi Pahuuna Gan Bai and Kutan Tumi Gela Hota Sanga Karbhari, according to published accounts.