Puri: Theatre actor Ayas Kanta Swain died while rehearsing for a play, which was to be staged at Annapurna Theatre in Puri on Sunday.
Swain, known for his versatile acting skills and famous as “Kanduri Jeja”, suffered a heart attack and collapsed while reciting his dialogues. His fellow actors and organisers rushed him to the district headquarters hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
The 56-year-old was part of the Manana Natya Sanstha group. He had even inspected the stage setup before joining the cast for a rehearsal, according to sources.
The play was to be performed on the fourth evening of the 15th National Theatre Festival, organised by Rangashala.
Swain, a resident of Bhubaneswar, became a household name for his performances in various television programmes. He has acted in over a hundred plays and also worked as a co-director.
