Pune: Actor Ashok Mali died of a severe heart attack while performing Garba at a Navratri festival event in Pune’s Chakan. Popularly known as Garba King, the 54-year-old performer felt uneasiness and soon collapsed on the stage while performing the famous folk dance in front of a huge crowd. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead, a report in Free Press Journal said.
In a little over 1-minute video of the final moments, Mali is seen dancing the traditional Garba attire with a little girl. After dancing for a while along with the little girl, Mali collapses with his face down. The little girl thinks this is an act of Garba and she imitates the posture. But for Mali, it was the end of his life. He had a severe heart attack and passed away, leaving his fans and the Garba enthusiasts in the city in mourning.
Mali is survived by his wife and two sons. He has been working as a Garba trainer for the last 5 years.