Odia actor Pintu Nanda passes away while undergoing treatment at 45

Popular Odia actor Pintu Nanda passed away during treatment at a private hospital in Hyderabad. He was 45. As per the report of IANS, Nanda, who had been suffering from liver-related ailments for a long, breathed his last on Wednesday night, family sources said.

He was first admitted to a private hospital in Bhubaneswar and later, shifted to New Delhi's Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) for liver transplantation, the family sources said.

However, the actor was shifted to Yashoda Hospital in Hyderabad from New Delhi due to the unavailability of the organ donor, the family members informed. A pall of gloom descended on the Odia film fraternity following Nanda's death.

Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Chhattisgarh Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan, Union Minister Darmendra Pradhan and many senior leaders of the state mourned the death of the Ollywood actor.

Nanda was very popular in Odia cinema and television for his roles as a hero, villain, character artist and comedian. He began his acting career in a Doordarshan programme. Nanda made his debut in the film Koili in 1996. Some of his popular films include Dosti, Hata Dhari Chalu Tha, Rumku Jhumana, Wrong Number, Prema Rutu Asigala, among others.