Gufi Paintal, Shakuni Mama from Mahabharat, dies aged 79

Veteran actor Gufi Paintal, well-known for portraying the role of Shakuni Mama in the 1988 Mahabharat, has died at the age of 79 today (June 5). Reportedly, the actor was in critical condition and was admitted to the hospital on May 31. He was apparently undergoing treatment for heart and kidney-related ailments. The actor died of heart failure. 

The actor's family released a statement following his demise on social media. "With profound grief, we announce the sad demise of our father Mr Gufi Paintal (Shakuni Mama). He passed away peacefully this morning surrounded by family. You will always be in our hearts." 

In a previous health update, the actor's nephew Hiten had mentioned that Gufi Paintal had been unwell for a while. Hiten had cited blood pressure and heart issues, saying that, 'things got severe now so we got him to the hospital for observation.' The actor had been hospitalised for seven to eight days. Hiten had told PTI, "He was critical initially, but right now he is stable".

About Gufi Paintal: The man who played Shakuni Mama

Gufi Paintal's full name was Sarabjeet Gufi Paintal and he was the elder brother of comedian-actor Kanwarjit Paintal. He was an engineer turned actor during the 1980s. Born in a Sikh Family, he was always true to his roots. During the early days of his career (which was back in 1969), he worked as a model and even took up work as an assistant director for several movies. The veteran actor rose to fame for playing the role of Shakuni in BR Chopra's Mahabharat. His character in the show was immensely loved by fans and he even presented a show based on political discussion as Shakuni.  

Gufi Paintal's notable works

In 1975, Gufi played the role of Salim in the film Rafoo Chakkar. Following that he appeared in several movies and some of his notable works include films like Suhaag, Maidan-E-Jung, Ghoom, Mahabharat Aur Barbareek, and more. Not just movies, but he has played a prominent role in the TV industry. In 1986, he was featured in the show Bahadur Shah Zafar on DD National. Then, from 1988 to 1990, he worked as a casting director and as an actor in Mahabharat, which was also aired on DD National. He has also directed films including Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.