Popular Assamese film and theatre actor Biju Phukan died this evening in a private hospital here following cardiac ailments, his family said. He was 69. The hero of Assamese film industry was admitted to the ICU of the hospital with breathing difficulty around 4.30 pm and passed away around 6.45 pm, his family sources said. The actor who was ailing for sometime and had undergone treatment in hospital recently also, his family sources added.

He was born in 1948 in Dibrugarh, where he studied in Kanoi College before shifting to Guwahati to start his film career. Phukan appeared in more than 80 Assamese feature films till his death, cinema industry sources said. He also acted in a number of plays. His first movie was 'Dr Bezbarua' in 1970 and his first role as a leading actor was in 'Baruar Songsar' followed by 'Aranya' in 1971 which established him as a 'hero' in 1971.