Dr Ram Hingorani, the charismatic maternal grandfather of actor Ranveer Singh, died on Diwali. He was 96.
Hingorani passed away peacefully at dusk during Lakshmi Puja. His granddaughter, Saumya Hingorani Thackeray, confirmed the bereavement on social media, describing his departure not as an occasion for grief, but as the triumphant close of a full, radiant life.
Saumya shared a family tribute reflecting on Hingorani's reunion with his late wife:
96 years young. A glorious life to be celebrated, not mourned. My Dadu, Dr. Ram, peacefully left us on Diwali to go home to my Dadi. He couldn't have picked a more auspicious time — the golden hour of the day, during Lakshmi Puja. I bet the two of them are in their chairs sipping on a crisp whiskey, enjoying & watching us together. Thank you for being the best Dadu in the world. Thank you for giving us everything. Save a scoop of icecream for me. Until we dance again.
Fans knew him best as the livewire patriarch who matched Ranveer's theatrical energy beat for beat.
During the promotional push for Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani in August 2023, Ranveer brought his grandfather directly into the pop-culture spotlight. Sporting a black 'Team Rocky' jersey, Hingorani broke into an effortless dance routine set to the chartbuster What Jhumka. Then came the one-liner that instantly went viral: "Leave tikki, bring Tequila for me."
Ranveer captured the room's mood in his caption: "Nana is peak Rocky-ism! 93 and Rock(y)ing!"
That defiance of age showed up again during the 2024 Lok Sabha general elections.
Mumbai was sweltering. Yet Hingorani refused to sit out the vote. Dressed in a crisp shirt, trousers, and dark sunglasses, the nonagenarian walked into his designated polling booth with the steadying arm of a local police officer.
Ranveer documented the moment for millions of followers: "93 yrs old. 93°F outside. But he voted. He's a voter! My Rockstar Nana #EveryVoteCounts."
The Hingorani patriarch lived to see another major family milestone just weeks before his passing. Ranveer and Deepika Padukone welcomed their daughter in September, later sharing her name, Devi, with the public on Dussehra.