When Vikram Gokhale tested waters in Tamil with Kamal Haasan's Aalavandhan and Hey Ram

Veteran actor Vikram Gokhale, who has been in a critical state for a few days now, breathed his last today in Pune. The National-Award-winning actor has been on life support ever since he was rushed to the hospital following a health scare. The actor's mortal remains will be cremated this evening in Pune. Gokhale was a renowned film, television and theatre artiste and was known for his work in Marathi and Hindi. Some of his prominent works include Prem Bandhan, Vikram Vetal, Insaaf, Khuda Gawah, Agneepath, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Mission Mangal, Hichki, Aiyaari, De Dana Dan and Bhool Bhulaiyaa to name a few.

Gokhale also appeared in two Tamil films in his long career and incidentally, both the films had Kamal Haasan as the lead actor. The films are Hey Ram (2000) and Aalavandhan (2001).

Hey Ram is a period crime drama, written, directed and produced by Kamal Haasan and was made simultaneously in Tamil and Hindi. The plot depicts an alternate history of the partition of India and the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi by Nathuram Godse. Vikram Gokhale essays the role of Maharaja in the film, who plays a huge part in the assassination of the Mahatma and draws the names Shriram Abhyankar and Saket Ram to do the deed.

Aalavandhan, on the other hand, is a psychological thriller directed by Suresh Krissna and Kamal Haasan played dual roles in the film as Major Vijay Kumar and Nandha Kumar. Vikram Gokhale played their maternal uncle Ranganath. Aalavandhan, which starred Manisha Koirala and Raveena Tandon as the leading ladies, released in Hindi as Abhay. Though the film didn't rake in the moolah at the box office, it won the National Film Award for Best Special Effects.

Meanwhile, tributes have been pouring in for the acting legend from across the world. His demise is a huge loss to the entertainment industry indeed!