Vinod Khanna dies: Karan Johar cancels Baahubali 2 premiere as mark of respect

Filmmaker Karan Johar cancelled the premiere for Baahubali: The Conclusion, of which he is a producer, as a mark of respect for Vinod Khanna, who died due to complications from cancer on Thursday.

Johar tweeted: “As a mark of respect to our beloved Vinod Khanna the entire team of Baahubali has decided to cancel the premiere tonight...”

In another tweet, Karan said, “His screen presence is unparalleled even today...his super star swag is what we grew up on....RIP #VinodKhanna ...thoughts and prayers....”

“Doctors and family were expecting a recovery but somehow his condition escalated and he succumbed today afternoon,” said a hospital source.

The actor was suffering from advanced bladder carcinoma (bladder cancer).

He was hospitalised in April first week due to severe dehydration but was later said to be stable and responding positively to treatment.

Vinod, who was a sitting Bharatiya Janata Party member of the Lok Sabha from the Gurdaspur constituency in Punjab, was admitted to Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre in Girgaon, Mumbai.

The actor, often called one of the most handsome men in the industry, featured in films like Mere Apne, Insaaf and Amar, Akbar, Anthony. He was last seen in Shah Rukh Khan’s Dilwale. He had 146 credits as an actor, according to IMDb.

Baahubali: The Conclusion is the sequel to 2015’s record-breaking fantasy epic directed by SS Rajamouli. It will open across India on Friday, April 28.