Actress Pravina Deshpande, who you may have seen in Ready (with Salman Khan), passed away on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. Known for her work across Marathi and Hindi serials and films, she was 60 at the time of her demise. A veteran in the industry, Mrs. Deshpande was fighting a long battle with cancer. Read more about the actor, how she got diagnosed, and who survives her.
Ready Actress Pravina Deshpande Passes On, Here’s More About Her
Born in 1965, Pravina Deshpande made a name for herself with her work in Hindi television series, such as Ghar Ek Mandir, Karam Apna Apna, and Tulsi Kumar Baajewaala. These roles in television soaps made her a household name in Hindi-speaking households and cemented her as an actress.
Perhaps her best-known role is that of Shalu Chaudhary in the Bollywood film Ready (2011). Surprisingly, she and Salman Khan were the same age. While he was Asin’s romance interest, she played her aunt. Even in a Hindi film, she played a caring older female figure, something that has defined a large part of her career.
Though her roles were mostly family-centric, it was her dedication to choosing roles in seemingly difficult projects that separated her from the crowd. From diverse films like Aligarh and Blackmail, and unique limited series like The Family Man and Rocket Boys, Pravina Deshpande has proved her mettle as an actor and then some.
Pravina Deshpande’s Fight With Cancer Revealed Her Quiet Strength
In 2019, she was diagnosed with a type of blood cancer of plasma cells, multiple myeloma. The Ready actor had revealed in 2024 that she hoped to live as normally as possible despite the cancer. And for the most part, she was successful. Apparently, she continued working on camera, facing no major hiccups other than exhaustion due to chemotherapy.
Crediting her family for sticking by her through her treatments (chemo and bone transplants), Pravina Deshpande was positive about moving forward after getting better. Therefore, the news of her death is even sadder.
Survived by her husband, Aniruddha, along with two sons, a daughter-in-law, and a host of close relatives, Pravina Deshpande’s legacy is a body of quality work. Her last rites took place in Andheri’s Hindu Crematorium at Chakala Parsiwada, at 3 pm on Tuesday.