Veteran Bengali actor Tamal Ray Chowdhury passed away on Monday morning, the West Bengal Motion Picture Artists' Forum said. He was 80.

As per reports, the veteran actor suffered a stroke and passed away in his sleep around 3.30am on Monday.

The Artists’ Forum said that the actor’s body will be brought to Technicians' Studio at 4pm for colleagues and admirers to pay their last respects. The last rites will later be performed at Keoratala Crematorium.

Ray Chowdhury had been away from the entertainment industry for quite some time because of health reasons. In an earlier interview, he had said his health was not keeping well and that he had a pacemaker implanted in his chest. Age-related health issues led him to step away from acting.

National Award-winning actress Sudipta Chakraborty expressed grief on social media. Addressing Ray Chowdhury as “Tamal Kaku”, she wrote, "‘Am I speaking to the world’s greatest actress and a mischievous girl, Sudipta Chakraborty?’ — that phone call will never come again. Stay well, Tamal Kaku. Who knows what music drifts from beyond the great ocean, and when it comes calling for whom… If I had known earlier, your last call would not have remained a ‘missed’ one. Forgive me, Tamal Kaku”.

Ray Chowdhury was known for his roles in films like Challenge, Le Halua Le, Bindass, Jaatishwar, Amazon Obhijaan, Chander Pahar. He was last seen in Tathagata Mukherjee’s Bhotbhoti.