Mumbai, 1st Oct: Tom Alter, an Indian actor of American descent who worked on more than 300 films, has died at age 67 after battling skin cancer. Alter died at his home in Mumbai late on Friday night. He was diagnosed with skin cancer last year and had received treatment, but had suffered a relapse earlier this month. Indian leaders as well as top film and theatre personalities expressed grief at his demise and offered condolences.

Born in India to US missionary parents, Alter spoke Hindi fluently and acted in both Bollywood and international films, in television shows and on the stage. Alter was known for his role as a gangster on the 1990s soap opera Junoon, as well as for his work in Gandhi (1982) and One Night with the King (2006). In 2008, he received a Padma Shri award for distinguished service in art from the government of India. Alter is survived by his wife, Carol Evans, son Jamie and daughter Afshaan. His body was cremated in Mumbai later on Saturday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered condolences to Alter’s family and recalled the actor’s contribution to the film world and theatre.