
Jyoti Chandekar funeral: Tejaswini Pandit breaks down inconsolably while performing last rites of her mother, Raj Thackeray offers condolences
Tejaswini Pandit performs last rites in tears
On Sunday, August 17,
Jyoti Chandekar
's funeral was held at 11 a.m. with family, friends, and admirers bidding her a tearful goodbye. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief
Raj Thackeray
also paid his respects.
A heart-wrenching video of her daughter, actress Tejaswini Pandit, has now surfaced on social media. Shared by Marathi news channel Sakal, the clip shows Tejaswini performing her mother's last rites with courage but breaking down inconsolably while looking at her late mother's mortal remains.
Tejaswini's emotional statement
Confirming the news of her mother's passing, Tejaswini Pandit shared an emotional statement in Marathi, 'It is with deep sorrow that I share the news that our mother, the esteemed and beloved actress Mrs. Jyoti Chandekar Pandit, who lived life on her own terms and always smiled wholeheartedly, passed away today, 16th August, at the age of 68 after a brief illness."
Tejaswini Pandit shares audience would love to watch our show again and again
Battling illness on set
In 2024, while shooting for Tharala Tar Mag, Jyoti Chandekar fell ill due to low sodium levels and was hospitalised.
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She had to take a two-month-long break before returning to work. Recalling the phase in an interview with The Craft, she had said, 'It felt like I literally came back from the brink of death. No production waits two months for a single actor. But everyone waited for me. I wasn't working for two months, yet they managed everything so beautifully that it still felt like Poorna Aaji… Aaji is here.
No one let my absence be felt."
A glorious five-decade career
Beginning her career as a child artiste at the age of 12, Jyoti Chandekar went on to become one of the most respected names in Marathi cinema. She won acclaim for her powerful performances in films like Mee Sindhutai Sapkal (2010), where she played the mother of Sindhutai, Guru (2016), Dholki (2015), Ticha Umbartha (2015), and Duniya Kari Salaam.
In the 2023 remake Shyamchi Aai, based on Sane Guruji's autobiography, she once again showcased her unmatched emotional depth. On television, she became a household name with roles in Tu Saubhagyavati Ho (2012), Chhatriwali (2018), and as the much-loved 'Poorna Aaji' in Tharala Tar Mag (2022).
Over the years, Jyoti Chandekar's contribution to cinema and theatre earned her multiple Zee Chitra Gaurav Puraskar awards for Best Supporting Actress, including for Sukhant, Paulwaat, and Ticha Umbartha.
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Veteran Marathi actress Jyoti Chandekar has passed away at the age of 68, leaving the film industry and fans in deep shock. Her funeral was held today, August 17, at 11 am, where several well-known faces, including MNS Chief Raj Thackeray, came to pay their respects. A heartbreaking video of her daughter, actress Tejaswini Pandit, is now being shared widely on social media. In the video, shared by Marathi news channel Sakal, Tejaswini is seen performing her mother's last rites. Though she carried out the rituals with strength, she broke down in tears while looking at her mother's body — a moment that has deeply moved many across Maharashtra. Tejaswini shared the sad news soon after her mother's passing. In a statement written in Marathi, she said, 'It is with deep sorrow that I share the news that our mother, the esteemed and beloved actress Mrs. Jyoti Chandekar Pandit, who lived life on her own terms and always smiled wholeheartedly, passed away today, August 16, at the age of 68 after a brief illness.' In 2024, while filming the TV show 'Tharala Tar Mag', Chandekar fell ill on set due to low sodium levels. She was admitted to hospital and took a break from work for nearly two months. In an interview with The Craft, she recalled: 'It felt like I literally came back from the brink of death. No production waits two months for a single actor. But everyone waited for me. I wasn't working for two months, yet they managed everything so beautifully that it still felt like Poorna Aaji… Aaji is here. No one let my absence be felt.' Jyoti Chandekar began acting at the age of 12 and built a career that lasted over five decades. She appeared in many respected Marathi films, including 'Mee Sindhutai Sapkal' (2010), where she played the mother of Sindhutai, and Guru (2016). Her powerful performances in 'Dholki' (2015), 'Paulwaat', 'Duniya Kari Salaam', and 'Ticha Umbartha' (2015) showed her wide range and deep emotional strength as an actress. Her passing marks the end of an era in Marathi cinema. As friends, fans, and fellow actors continue to pay tribute, the image of a grieving daughter saying goodbye has become a symbol of love, respect, and the strong bond they shared.


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