Actor and danseuse Ashwini Ekbote passed away Saturday late evening after she suffered a heart attack during a performance at a programme named ‘Natyatrividha’ at Bharat Natya Mandir. The 44-year-old, who had also acted in several plays, was performing at the Bharat Natyamandir in Pune in the evening when she collapsed on stage, a police official said.

When she suffered the attack, she was performing with her co-artistes Reva Natu, Chinmay Joglekar and Anupama Barve-Kulkarni.An eminent name in the Marathi theatre scene, Ekbote's demise came as a shock to many who remember her as a dedicated individual obsessed with her art. Apart from being the face of television shows like Duheri, Radha Hi Bawari and Durva, Ekbote has also featured in regional movies like Debu, Danyavar Danka, Taptapadi among others.