KGF actor Harish Rai reveals he is battling throat cancer, had beard in film to hide swelling: Things are becoming worse

Actor Harish Rai, who was recently seen in Yash-starrer KGF: Chapter 2, has revealed in a recent interview that he is battling with advanced throat cancer. The actor, who is prolific in Kannada cinema, also added that he was dealing with the disease while shooting for KGF 2 earlier this year and kept a beard to hide the swelling caused by the cancer. Also read: KGF actor BS Avinash meets with road accident in Bengaluru

KGF: Chapter 2, starring Yash, is one of the most successful Indian films of all time, having earned over ₹1200 crore at the box office. Harish played Khasim chacha, a father figure to Yash’s Rocky in the Prashanth Neel film. Harish also appeared in KGF: Chapter 1, which released in 2018.

Recently, in an interview with YouTuber Gopi Gowdru, Harish opened up about his illness. “Situations can bestow greatness upon you or take things away from you. There is no escaping fate. I’ve been suffering from cancer for three years. There is a reason I had a long beard when performing in KGF, to cover up the swelling in my neck that this disease has created.”

The actor added that he had delayed his surgery since he did not have enough money for it initially and now things are getting worse. He said, “I put off my surgery because I didn’t have any money at first. I waited till the movies were released. Now that I’m at the fourth stage, things are becoming worse.” The actor added that he had recorded a video asking for help from fans and people in the industry but couldn’t bring himself to post it.

Apart from the KGF franchise, Harish has also worked in films like Bangalore Underworld, Dhan Dhana Dhan, and Nanna Kanasina Hoove. He has been active as a character artiste in Kannada cinema for over 25 years.