Mangal Dhillon, star of 'Junoon' and 'Buniyaad', dies at 64
Ludhiana(PTI): Actor Mangal Dhillon, best known for his performance in hit TV serials such as "Junoon" and "Buniyaad", died battling cancer on Saturday in Ludhiana district's Neelo Kalan village, his family said. He was 64. Dhillon, also known for Hindi films such as "Khoon Bhari Maang" and "Vishwatma", was admitted to a private hospital before his family took him home a few days ago.
According to his sister Ranjeet Kaur, the actor passed away late last evening in the village Neelo Kalan.
Dhillon was born in village Wander Jattana in Faridkot district and later moved to Uttar Pradesh, where his father owned agricultural land.
In a career spanning over three decades, Dhillon garnered popularity for his role of Labhaya Ram in Ramesh Sippy's TV soap opera "Buniyaad" (1986-87) and as Sumer Rajvansh in the 1994 drama serial "Junoon".
He worked both in Hindi and Punjabi movies, including "Khalsa", for which he was honoured by the Punjab government.
SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal remembered Dhillon for his "captivating voice".
"Saddened to learn about the demise of noted actor, writer, director and producer of Punjabi cine industry Mr Mangal Dhillon.
"It's a big loss to the world of Indian Cinema. His captivating voice and theatrical displays will be missed by many. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, friends and fans," Badal wrote on Twitter.
Anmol Gagan Mann, Punjab Tourism and Culture Affairs Minister, also expressed grief over Dhillon's passing at a press conference. Actor Yashpal Sharma, who found out about Dhillon being admitted to a cancer hospital a week ago, said the late actor had "bid adieu to acting".
"About a year-and-half ago, I got to know that he had become a motivational speaker. He was working towards the betterment of society," Sharma told PTI.
"Dahaad" star Gulshan Devaiah shared Dhillon's photo on Twitter with the caption: "'Mangal Dhillon' Shradhanjali'.
Dhillon is survived by a son and a daughter.
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Like Rohit and Virat, Sanju can''t be replaced: Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag
Jaipur (PTI): Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag on Thursday said Sanju Samson's void cannot be filled in his side, likening the challenge to replacing stalwarts like Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli.
Sanju, who led the Royals from 2021 to 2025, was traded to Chennai Super Kings in a pre-season move, with Ravindra Jadeja coming in as part of the deal.
"If you talk about Sanju bhaiya, we never think about replacing the kind of player he is," Parag told reporters in a pre-season press conference here.
"We can perhaps look for someone with a similar skillset or have someone bat in his position...
"It’s like there is no replacement for Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma... In the same way, there is no replacement for Sanju bhaiya because he is such a good player,” Parag said.
Having represented the franchise for 11 years across two stints, Sanju was RR's most successful captain and leading run-scorer, having guided them to the IPL 2022 final and the playoffs in 2024.
His stature has only grown manifold following a stellar T20 World Cup campaign, where he struck three successive match-defining half-centuries to power India to a historic treble and title defence.
India defeated New Zealand by 96 runs in the final with Sanju being adjudged the Player-of-the-Tournament.
Rajasthan Royals had a forgettable last season, enduring 10 defeats to finish ninth in the 10=team standings.
Parag, who has been picked as the captain following Sanju's exit, said RR lost far too many close matches last year and the 2008 winners need better strategy and planning.
“This year, the focus is to plan better and finish games, which we couldn’t do in the previous edition," he said.
"We need to plan well. Last year, there were about 5-6 games which we lost in the last over or even on the last ball. Had we been able to convert those, or had we calculated better, this question (if RR would try anything new) would not have been asked because we would have qualified (for knockouts) by winning those matches," he said.
"I think that in every T20 game, there are 3-4 decisions that you have to make which change the course of the game. If we take those small decisions with strategy and planning, this year will be different," Parag added.
He further expressed his gratitude to the franchise for keeping their faith in him despite several seasons of struggle.
"I was here when I was just 17 and I have seen all the ups and downs, though more downs than ups till now. I want to thank Rajasthan Royals for supporting me and understanding the cricketer I am,” Parag said.
Sangakkara backs Parag -- the skipper
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The Royals’ director of cricket and head coach Kumar Sangakkara said he has always “admired” Parag as a cricketer and he was picked as a skipper after a robust round of interviews with other candidates.
"It was about trying to find the best person who can lead the Rajasthan Royals. I (first) met Riyan when he was a teenager and have admired him as a cricketer. He's right (when he says) he has gone through a lot and seen a lot," Sangakkara said.
"The most striking thing for me was (to see) how reflective and mature he has become."
“To select a captain once Sanju decided to leave, it was very important that we explore all options. We had shortlisted some candidates that we had a very strict interview process for. Riyan knows the questions were hard. At the end of the day Manoj (Badale) and I sat down and it was evident that the right choice to lead Rajasthan was Riyan,” Sangakkara added.
