Sitaram Panchal, who has featured in Paan Singh Tomar and Peepli Live, has been struggling to pay for his treatment; Anusha Rizvi, Manish Mundra, among others, rush to his aid
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 18, 2017)

Seventy-two hours after posts about actor Sitaram Panchal’s financial plight and deteriorating physical condition — he suffers from lung and kidney cancer — went viral, several members from the film fraternity have extended support to the 54-year-old National School of Drama graduate, fondly known as Situ bhai. The actor, who was diagnosed with cancer in January 2014, has featured in critically acclaimed films like Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire, Anusha Rizvi’s Peepli Live and Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Paan Singh Tomar. Even after the diagnosis, he filmed Shyam Benegal’s TV series, Samvidhan, while undergoing treatment in the far off Mumbai suburb of Mumbra.

“He stopped eating completely last year as his stomach would hurt all the time. He was constantly vomiting and is extremely weak. He now weighs only 30 kg,” Sitaram’s wife Uma Panchal told Mirror, adding that he had to give up on the TV serial, Ek Ghar Banaunga, which he was shooting for. “Since acting was his only source of income, he worked between September-October last year when he was slightly better with medication, and shot for small roles in Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Raag Desh and Subhash Kapoor’s Jolly LLB 2. But the treatment has aggravated his diabetes, which led to him losing his voice,” Uma rues, pointing out that Sitaram was also administered wrong medicines in two different hospitals earlier, which worsened his condition. “At one point, he was asked to go completely off allopathy, which led to breathing troubles.”

Among the industry friends who have rushed to the ailing actor’s aid is filmmaker Krishan Hooda, who had directed him in the yet-to-be-released Rebellious Flower, along with co-star Mukesh Bhatt. “The cancer is now spreading to his bones. If he’s back on his feet, he’ll have work again but he is too unwell right now,” Mukesh says.

Anil Mange, who worked with Sitaram in the Haryana-based film Ischool has also reached out. Meanwhile, on Monday, a charity drive was initiated on the online platform, Ketto, to raise funds. The Cine and TV Artistes Association has shared a letter addressed to the film fraternity with Sitaram’s account details seeking financial aid.

Masaan and Dhanak producer, Manish Mundra has also made a considerable donation to the family and has promised to bear the medical expenses. “In a developed world, where population is miniscule, a proper healthcare plan and insurance policies are devised to take care of individual well-being. Since we are not well-equipped in this regard, we should contribute to society in our own way. Thanks to social media, we can now reach out to those in need and vice versa,” the filmmaker asserts.

Anusha Rizvi was told that Sitaram’s 20-year-old son, a budding classical singer, would have to quit studies to support the family as his father, the sole bread-winner, is bedridden. “Actors don’t have a pension fund or any kind of a scheme for emergencies. I got the Peepli Live team to come together for Sitaram and tried to find out if there was a scheme by the Haryana or Central Government to help actors in a crisis with a substantial amount but didn’t come across anything,” Anusha says, pointing out that since she knew Sitaram personally, his condition came to light, but there are other small-time actors and technicians living in slums in abysmal situations whose stories often go unheard because there is no authority to take care of them in old age. “It is time for the Maharashtra Government and Bollywood celebrities to come together to start a need-based emergency fund for the families of actors and technicians,” she asserts.

Meanwhile, Uma says that while several film personalities have come forward in support, it is Sitaram’s NSD batch mates who have relentlessly been by his side through the ordeal and continue to visit him even today. “He has started eating and is optimistic that he will be back on the set soon. Everyone is praying for us,” she signs off.