Mumbai: Veteran theatre actor-director Dinesh Thakur, known for his character roles in Hindi films, has passed away after a prolonged illness. The actor-director was suffering from kidney ailments. His end came at a suburban Andheri hospital.

Thakur acted in several acclaimed films like Mere Apne, Rajanigandha and Ghar. He appeared as one of the leads in the Basu Chatterjee directed film by Rajnigandha, which won both the Filmfare Best Movie Award and the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Film.

Thakur, who mostly appeared in character roles in Hindi films, was also a screenwriter and story writer. He is known for writing the story and screenplay of the 1978-made film Ghar that won him the 1979 Filmfare‘s best story award.

Thakur headed a theatre group called ANK Productions for the last three decades. His oldest and still popular theatre production has been Jis Lahore Nahi Dekhya.

He was a noted Indian theatre director, actor in theatre, television and Hindi films.

He was 65 and is survived by actor-wife Prita Mathur.

Thakur‘s last rites will be conducted on Thursday at the Oshiwara crematorium around 4.30 pm.