Actor Priya Marathe, best known for her roles in television shows like Pavitra Rishta and Kasamh Se, died at the age of 38 due to cancer on Sunday. Her sudden demise has left the television industry in shock. Her co-stars Usha Nadkarni, Anurag Sharma and Swati Anand expressed their condolences.

Priya Marathe’s brother mourns her death

Priya’s cousin and actor Subodh Bhave took to Instagram and penned a note remembering his sister. He wrote, “Priya Marathe. A great actress, my co-star in some series and movies. But for me, the relationship was more important with her. Priya, my cousin sister. The hard work she put in after coming to this field, her faith in work was very commendable. She played every role with great heart and harmony.”

He added, “She was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago. Fighting with him she started working again. She again went in front of the audience with her simply beautiful acting through the drama, serial. But that cancer didn’t leave her back. Once again her trouble jumped during our series ‘Tu Metshi Navane’. Her partner throughout this journey @shantanusmoghe was strongly with her. My sister was a fighter, but finally her strength fell short. A heartfelt tribute to you Priya 🙏🙏🙏 I pray that you find peace wherever you are 🙏🙏🙏 Om Shanti.”

Priya’s Pavitra Rishta co-star Usha Nadkarni recalled how she used to laugh and joke with everyone, and was a very calm girl with a good nature. She told Mid-Day in an interview, “Lekin mujhe samajh nahi aata, Bhagwan aisa kyun karta hai. Yeh umar hai kya uske jaane ki? Mujhe laga tha abhi woh achhi hai. (But I don’t understand why God does such things. Was this really the age for her to go? I thought she was doing well). Once, when I had gone to Ankita Lokhande’s house, her name came up. I said that her treatment was over and she was appearing in serials. But Ankita said no, her condition had worsened. Main usko dekhne bhi jaane wali thi, par Shantanu bola koi mat aao kyunki chemo ki wajah se uske baal gir gaye the, toh usko acha nahi lagta tha koi aake dekhe. Lekin acha nahi hua uske saath. (I was about to go meet her, but Shantanu told me not to, because due to chemotherapy her hair had fallen out, and she didn’t like anyone seeing her that way).”

Actor Anurag Sharma, who played the role of her husband in Pavitra Rishta, told Zoom, “It is very shocking for all of us, for the entire Pavitra Rishta team, for the industry. Such a nice girl and very good actress, and a very good human being. I did Pavitra Rishta with her for almost 2–2.5 years. She was playing my wife in it. When we found out, we couldn’t believe it. When we got the call in the morning, and we read the chats in the group, (we could not believe it) life is very unpredictable. We don’t know when life will leave us. I hope that God will give peace to her soul.”

In the same interview, actor Swati Anand, who played Priya’s on-screen mother in Kasamh Se, recalled how she had grown as an actor over the years after much struggle, and was living a good life. She added that her death shattered her and said, “But when we heard the news about her illness, we were all a little shattered. Still, she never lost her courage, and she had said to me, ‘Swati Di, I will fight this battle with all my strength.’ And today, when we received this news, I don’t even know what to say. All this feels beyond comprehension. I only pray to God that her soul finds peace, and wherever she is, may her new life be very, very beautiful.”

About Priya Marathe

Priya began her journey in the entertainment industry with the Marathi show Ya Sukhano Ya in 2005. She then transitioned to the Hindi television industry with the show Kasamh Se, but gained fame with her role as Varsha in Pavitra Rishta. The show made her a household name, and she went on to feature in shows like Bade Acche Lagte Hain, Saath Nibhana Saathiya, Uttaran, Bharat Ka Veer Putra – Maharana Pratap and also appeared in Marathi films like Umne Jeena Seekh Liya and Ti Ani Itar.

Priya had reportedly been battling cancer for over two years. She died at her residence in Mira Road at 4 am on Sunday. She is survived by her husband, actor Shantanu Moghe.