Marathi actress Jyoti Chandekar passed away in Pune on August 16, 2025, at the age of 69. She was reportedly suffering from an undisclosed illness and the actress is best known for her Marathi TV show named, Tharala Tar Mag. She was undergoing treatment for days after she was fighting an illness. Jyoti’s funeral took place at Vaikunth Crematorium, Pune, on August 17, 2025, and in a video that surfaced online, Jyoti’s daughter, Tejaswini, broke down during her mom’s last rites.
Jyoti Chandekar’s daughter, Tejaswini Pandit, cries a river during the last rites of her mother
A video has surfaced online where Jyoti’s daughter, Tejaswini, was seen performing the last rites rituals for her mom. Present was MNS Chief Raj Thackeray, among many who had come to pay respect. As seen in the clip, Tejaswini was holding a broken pot filled with water, with which she walked around in a circular motion. After breaking the pot, Tejaswini, as seen in the clip, put her hand in her mouth, screamed and then broke down. The video is heart-wrenching as Tejaswini is inconsolable and becomes weak performing the last rites of her mother.
Tejaswini was seen performing the duties of a daughter towards her late mother, Jyoti. She broke down in tears, seeing the body of her mother, folding her hands. The clip that was taken showcased Tejaswini in a state which was very heartbreaking, but she performed all the last rite rituals in the name of her mother. After Jyoti’s demise, Tejaswinii shared a statement on her social media feed. It was written in Marathi, which read:
“It is with deep sorrow that I share the news that our mother, the esteemed and beloved actress Mrs. Jyoti Chandekar Pandit, who lived life on her own terms and always smiled wholeheartedly, passed away today, 16th August, at the age of 69 after a brief illness.”
Jyoti Chandekar’s married life with Ranjit Pandit
Jyoti married Ranjit, and they were blessed with two daughters, Tejaswini Pandit and Pornima Pandit. Her demise left a spell of grief in the Marathi film fraternity world, and even in 2024, on the sets of Tharala Tar Mag, Jyoti fell sick. Her sodium levels dropped, and then she was taken to the hospital and had to be on a break for around two months before she came back on the sets of the show. Earlier, in an interview with the Craft, Jyoti remembered her experience and shared:
“It felt like I literally came back from the brink of death. No production waits two months for a single actor. But everyone waited for me. I wasn’t working for two months, yet they managed everything so beautifully that it still felt like Poorna Aaji… Aaji is here. No one let my absence be felt.”
Jyoti Chandekar’s work in the entertainment industry
Jyoti’s acting career spanned approximately five decades. She began her career as a child artist at just 12. Her most well-known works include Dharmakanya, Dholki, Paoolwaat, Guru, and Sojourner. Jyoti and her daughter, Tejaswini, were also seen in the award-winning movie, Ticha. It was directed by Dipti Ghonsikar, where Jyoti essayed the role of Tejaswini’s on-screen mom-in-law. The clouds of grief have now come on her family.
Team Bollywood Shaadis offers condolences to the bereaved family of Jyoti Chandekar.
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