Rahul Koli, the 10-year-old child actor in India's official Oscar entry Chhello Show died of leukaemia. He passed away on October 2 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat after battling cancer for a long time.
Koli was being treated at the Gujarat Cancer Research Institute after he was diagnosed with blood cancer, also known as leukaemia.
On Monday, October 10, Koli's family held a prayer meeting at their native Hapa village near Jamnagar, Gujarat. His father, Ramu Koli spoke to The Times of India and said, "He was so happy and would often tell us that our life would change after October 14 (the release date of the movie). But he left us before that".
Rahul Koli
Koli's father informed that the family came to know about the child actor's illness after shooting for the film Chhello Show wrapped up. He began displaying symptoms of what seemed to be a fever, but the illness persisted despite medication.
On October 2, Rahul Koli ate his breakfast and later come down with a fever and vomited blood thrice. His father said that while the family was devastated by the loss, they would watch his film together when it will release this Friday.
His father was quoted saying, "Rahul was the eldest of our children. We are poor, but his dream meant everything to us. We had to sell our rickshaw for his treatment." He added that once the film crew came to know about the rickshaw, they bought the rickshaw back for the family.
Nalin Pandya, the director of Chhello Show shared that the film crew was with the child actor during his final moments.
Chhello Show
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Chhello Show
Child actor Rahul Koli was a part of the cast of Chhello Show, India's official entry to the 95th Academy Awards. The film is semi-autobiographical and explores director Pandya's experiences growing up in Saurashtra and discovering the magic of films.
The film revolves around 9-year-old Samay (played by Bhavin Rabari) who spends an entire summer watching films. Koli played the role of Manu, Samay's best friend.
Suggested Reading: Know The Cast of Chhello Show: India's Official Entry To 2023 Oscars
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