Veteran actor Ramakant Dayama passed away at the age of 69 in Mumbai on May 26, 2026, following a prolonged illness. His death has left the Indian film, television, and theatre fraternity in mourning.
The news of his death was confirmed by actress and close friend Shubhangi Latkar through a social media post. Latkar shared a note alongside a video in which Dayama was seen singing, dancing, laughing.
In her post, Latkar wrote that the two had plans to work together again. She revealed that they had decided to do a Hindi play together, and when she had requested him to be a part of it, he smiled and said, “Let me get well soon.” They had also planned to present selected poems together on stage. Both plans remained unfinished.
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Career spanning films, TV, theatre
Dayama initially performed in street plays as a theatre artist before making his debut in films. Over the years, he built a career across multiple formats in the entertainment industry.
In 2007, he played the role of an IHF official in the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer ‘Chak De! India’. The same year, he appeared in ‘Gandhi My Father’. In 2009, he played the role of the secretary of a young politician in ‘Paa’.
He later featured in films such as ‘Shuddh Desi Romance’ (2013), ‘Brothers’ (2015), ‘Bank Chor’ (2017), and ‘Ram Setu’ (2022).
His projects also included ‘Dhanak’, ‘The Trial’, ‘Crew’, ‘Farzi’, ‘Mumbai Saga’, and ‘The Chargesheet’, among others.
In 2020, he played the role of Shantilal Mehta in the acclaimed web series ‘Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story’, which earned him wider recognition.
His most recent work was the award-winning short film ‘Thursday Special’, alongside Anubha Fatehpuria. The film was presented by filmmakers Shoojit Sircar and Vikramaditya Motwane.
Theatre and public life
Beyond the screen, Dayama remained active in theatre throughout his career. On July 16, 2022, he performed a play at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in which he played the character of former President of India Shankar Dayal Sharma. President Ram Nath Kovind was among the guests present at the event.
He also appeared in television commercials for brands including ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, Chupa Chup, and Thumbs Up. An Axis Bank commercial he featured in won a Silver Bronze award at the Abby Awards in 2023.
Personal life
Dayama is the father of actress and digital creator Yashaswini Dayama, known for her performances in ‘Dear Zindagi’ and the web series ‘Adulting’. His wife is Dr. Asha Naithani Dayama.
His last rites were held at his residence in Suncity, Kandivali East, Mumbai.