Noted TV and stage actress and Mumbai Doordarshan's most loveable Marathi newsreader of yesteryear, Bhakti Barve Inamdar, died in an accident on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway around 5:30 am on Monday morning. Inamdar was in her fifties.

According to Maharashtra state police control, the car in which the actress was travelling between Pune and Mumbai, rammed into an electric pole. Inamdar and the driver died on the spot while a second passenger survived and is in hospital, according to the Afternoon Despatch and Courier and chalomumbai.com.

Kishore Dhargalkar, the executive producer of the popular teleserial "Gharkul" starring Inamdar, which is currently airing on Sahyadhri Marathi language channel, said it was a big blow not only to the survival of the serial but also for her millions of fans and audiences all over the state.

Wife of the late TV star Shafi Inamdar, she was last seen in "Jannat Talkies", featured in the series Director's Cut on Saturday on DD Metro.

Ianamdar was admired for her versatility as an actress who portrayed a variety of roles from comedy to tragedy with outstanding ease. Among her sterling stage performances were those "Ti Phularani", "Nag Mandala" and "Aayee Retire Hote Aahe". She had also been featured in Kundan Shah's comedy "Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro" with Naseeruddin Shah, Satish Shah and Ravi Basvani. She was also editor of the film.