Veteran film and theatre actor Tom Alter is suffering from bone cancer. The 67-year-old Indian-American actor is battling stage four of the disease, according to reports.

A source close to Tom Alter has divulged the information to Huffington Post. The website has also quoted the playwright Sayeed Alam saying, “We are all praying for his recovery and I am sure he will recover.”

Tom Alter

Born and brought up in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand, Alter donned many hats before making it to Bollywood.

Once a teacher, he started acting with 1976 film Charas in which he played a custom officer. This turned out to be the beginning of a great career.

Thanks to films like Gandhi, Kranti and Aashiqui, he is among India’s most liked character artistes.

His command over Hindi and Urdu makes him a favourite with country’s top playwrights. His roles of Maulana Azad and Mirza Ghalib, in plays by the same names, masterclasses in acting, and get mentioned in almost every theatre production house.

Currently treated at a Mumbai hospital, Tom Alter is among the journalists who first interviewed Sachin Tendulkar. A former cricket coach, Alter’s nuanced understanding of cricket makes him one of the most read cricket authors in the country.

His two kids, son Jamie and daughter Afshaan, said to be with him during the treatment.