Veteran Bollywood actor and screenwriter Kader Khan, who acted in over 300 films in a prolific acting career spanning across four decades, has died. Aged 81, Khan breathed his last in a hospital in Canada on Monday.
His son Sarfaraz Khan told news agency PTI that the actor died due to prolonged illness. "My dad has left us. He passed away on December 31 at 6 PM as per Canadian time due to prolonged illness. He slipped into coma in the afternoon. He was in the hospital for 16-17 weeks," Sarfaraz told PTI.
Sarfaraz also confirmed that the last rites will be performed in Canada. "The last rites will be performed here in Canada only. We have our entire family here and we live here, so we are doing it," Sarfaraz added.
Suffering from supranuclear palsy, Khan was not keeping well for quite some time. He was hospitalized on 28 December 2018 complaining of breathlessness in Canada and was put on a BiPAP ventilator.
Born on 22nd October, 1937, in Kabul, Kadar Khan made his acting debut in the year 1973 with Yash Chopra’s Daag, starring Rajesh Khanna, Sharmila Tagore and Raakhee in lead roles. After his debut film, he never looked back and delivered one outstanding performance after another. His death is a sad loss Hindi cinema.
As soon as the news of his sad demise was confirmed by his son, many eminent personalities from the industry took to Twitter to offer their condolences to the bereaved family.
“Kadar Khan passes away. Sad depressing news. My prayers and condolences. A brilliant stage artist a most compassionate and accomplished talent on film. "A writer of eminence; in most of my very successful films. A delightful company and a mathematician," wrote megastar Amitabh Bachchan who worked with Khan on many successful films like Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978) and Shahenshah (1988).
Remembering the great actor, Anupam Kher wrote, “Kader Khan Saab was one of the finest actors of our country. It was a joy and a learning experience to be on the sets with him. His improvisational skills were phenomenal. His humour was eternal and original. He was a wonderful writer. We will miss him & his brilliance.??.”
The singer jokingly texted Clairo saying, "Let's f**k her up," sparking an online frenzy
Why Charli XCX jokingly declared war on Peppa Pig after one viral comment
Highlights
What started as a playful celebrity game has turned into one of the internet's most unexpected viral moments, with Charli XCX jokingly threatening to "f**k up" Peppa Pig after the beloved cartoon character appeared to dismiss singer Clairo.
The exchange quickly spread across social media, drawing reactions from fans and fellow musicians, while turning an unlikely clash between a pop star and a fictional children's character into a trending talking point.
Peppa Pig's viral remark sparked the joke
The playful exchange began during Peppa Pig's appearance in Pitchfork's Over/Under game, where the animated character rated a selection of music artists.
While expressing admiration for acts including PinkPantheress and The Beatles, Peppa responded to Clairo by saying, "I don't know her," a line widely recognised as a reference to Mariah Carey's famous response when asked about Jennifer Lopez.
The remark, accompanied by a knowing glance at the camera, quickly gained traction online.
Charli XCX rushed to Clairo's defence
After seeing the clip, Charli XCX privately messaged Clairo, writing, "Let's f**k her up," alongside a screenshot of the viral post.
Clairo later shared the exchange on social media, prompting thousands of reactions from fans, many of whom responded with pig and bacon-themed jokes.
PinkPantheress, whom Peppa had praised in the original video, also joined the conversation, posting a message supporting Clairo.
As the exchange continued, Clairo responded to the growing attention with humour, replying to posts before eventually telling followers, "ok that's enoughhhhh lolllllllllll."
Some fans joked that the viral moment was the perfect opportunity for the singer to announce new music, though Clairo replied that she did not have anything ready to share.
Her most recent album, Charm, was released in 2024, with its accompanying tour concluding in 2025.
Charli XCX keeps her focus on new music
While the online joke continued to gather momentum, Charli XCX did not publicly add to the exchange.
Instead, the singer has been focusing on promoting her upcoming album, Music, Fashion, Film, which is scheduled for release on July 24.
Although fans speculated that one of the track titles could be a playful nod to the viral exchange, there has been no indication that the album references the light-hearted social media moment.