Bollywood Suicides,

Bollywood: 13 young stars who we lost before their time

Sushant Singh Rajput is the latest celebrity to succumb while in the spotlight

Published: August 12, 2020 13:19IANS and Karishma H. Nandkeolyar, Assistant Online Editor

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Sushant Singh Rajput (2020). Rajput, 34, rose to fame with his performance as Manav in the TV show "Pavitra Rishta". He made a swift transition to the big screen in 2013 with the film "Kai Po Che!". He was then seen in films like "Shuddh Desi Romance", "M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story", "Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!", "Drive", "Kedarnath", "Chhichhore" and "Dil Bechara". In his run, Sushant was in a relationship with actress Ankita Lokhande. He was rumoured to be dating actress Kriti Sanon and, finally, actress Rhea Chakraborty was his girlfriend. He was found hanging in his residence in Mumbai. A CBI probe has been ordered to investigate his matter of death.Image Credit: IANS

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Sameer Sharma (2020). Television actor Sameer Sharma was found hanging from the kitchen ceiling of his residence in Malad West, Mumbai. No suicide note was recovered. He has featured in daily soaps like "Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi", "Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii", "Left Right Left", "Woh Rehne Waali Mehlon Ki" among others. He last featured in the ongoing daily soap "Yeh Rishtey Hain Pyaar Ke" as Shaurya Maheshwari.Image Credit: Various

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"Crime Patrol" actress Preksha Mehta committed suicide in May this year. She was 25. She took her life by hanging from a ceiling fan at her residence in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. The actress reportedly left a suicide note but it does not mention why she decided to end her life. As per reports, Preksha went into depression due to lack of work amid the lockdown. Apart from "Crime Patrol", Preksha has appeared in TV soaps like "Meri Durga" and "Laal Ishq".Image Credit: Various

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Television actor Kushal Punjabi, who was seen in "Ishq Mein Marjawan" and "Hum Tum", committed suicide at his home in Mumbai in 2019. He was 37. There are several reports claiming that the actor was found hanging at his place in Pali Hill. It is also claimed that a suicide note was found from his residence.Image Credit: Various

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Pratyusha Banerjee (2016). She gained popularity as Anandi in the television show "Balika Vadhu". Pratyusha committed suicide by hanging from a fan at her residence in Mumbai's Goregaon area. Her then boyfriend Rahul Raj Singh took her to the hospital, where she succumbed.Image Credit: Various

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Jiah Khan (2013). She was only 25 when she ended her life by hanging herself from the ceiling fan. Jiah Khan, who has starred alongside Bollywood biggies such as Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan and Akshay Kumar, took her life in 2013 at her Mumbai residence. She mentioned an "abusive relationship" with actor Sooraj Pancholi, son of actor Aditya Pancholi, in a suicide not she left behind.Image Credit: IANS

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Viveka Babajee (2010) Known best for a commercial, Vivek Babajee, the Mauritian model, was found hanging from a ceiling fan in 2010 at her residence in Mumbai. In a dairy entry, she blamed her beau Gautam Vohra for her death and the police said that she committed suicide due to depression.Image Credit: Various

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Kuljeet Randhawa (2006) She was seen in the Indian version of "Charlie's Angels" called "C.A.T.S". Actress and model Kuljeet Randhawa put an end to her life by hanging herself in her apartment in Mumbai. According to a note left behind by her, she mentioned that she was putting an end to her life as she couldn't cope with the pressures of life.Image Credit: Wikipedia

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Parveen Babi (2005) With a career spanning over 15 years, Bollywood diva Parveen Babi, who worked in hits like "Majboor", "Amar Akbar Anthony", "Suhaag", "Namak Halaal", "Deewar" and "Rang Birangi" among many others, was found dead in her home in 2005. According to reports, during the last few days of her life Parveen was reportedly alone. She was known to be suffering from psychological problems for some years. Some said she suffered from schizophrenia.Image Credit: Various

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Nafisa Joseph (2004) Kuljeet Randhawa's "C.A.T.S" co-actor Nafisa reportedly in 2004 hanged herself in her flat in the Versova area in Mumbai.Image Credit: Various

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Silk Smitha (1996): Vijayalakshmi Vadlapatla, who was famously known as the southern sex siren, Silk Smitha, was found dead at the age of 36 under mysterious circumstances. Her body was found hanging by a rope near her home in Chennai in 1996.Image Credit: Various

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Divya Bharti (1993): Divya Bharti rose to fame in the 1990s. She made her acting debut with the Telugu film, "Bobbili Raja". After starring in Telugu films, in 1992 she made a transition to Hindi cinema with "Vishwatma". Divya was then seen in hits like "Shola Aur Shabnam" and "Deewana", and in a short span of time had become a contender to the Bollywood crown, and a serious challenger for the top superstars of the era, Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit. She was 19 at the time of death, billed by most in the industry as well as fans and the press alike as the next big thing in Bollywood. She is said to have married producer Sajid Nadiadwala, shortly before her death. She fell off the balcony of her five-storey Tulsi apartment flat. Many aspects of her death still remains a mystery.Image Credit: Various

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Guru Dutt (1964): Legendary filmmaker-actor Guru Dutt was found dead in his rented apartment in Mumbai in 1964. According to reports, the reason for his death was a lethal combination of sleeping pills combined with liquor. Guru Dutt is known for his classics like "Pyaasa", "Kaagaz Ke Phool", "Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam", "Saanjh Aur Savera" and "Chaudhvin Ka ChandImage Credit: Various





Sridevi's life and times: A look back on her birth anniversary

Iconic star, who would have turned 57, was well known for her movies and flair
Published: August 13, 2020 11:59

Manjusha Radhakrishnan, Chief Reporter

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Indian actress Sridevi would have celebrated her 57th birthday today on August 13. Had she been alive, the iconic star, who died in February 2018 in Dubai due to accidental drowning in a bath tub, would have been basking in pride as her daughter, actress Janhvi Kapoor, makes strides in her career with a lead role in ‘Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl’, out on Netflix now. Even though the self-made, enigmatic star has passed on, there’s no denying the power of her timeless blockbusters and the extraordinary life she led. As a nod to her birthday today, here’s Gulf News looking back at her career, her dazzling films and her rich legacy…Image Credit: PTI

2 of 15Sridevi acted in over 300 movies and she won the first Indian National Award of her career posthumously for the film ‘Mom’. In the movie, which was the last release of her career, she played a vengeful step-mother who sets out to punish her step-daughter’s rapists. During the National Award presentation ceremony, her daughter Janhvi carried a piece of her mother with her by wearing one of her mother’s silk saris to the function.Image Credit: AP

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Her popularity and appeal hasn’t dimmed even after two years since her tragic death. Her producer husband Boney Kapoor even unveiled his late wife’s wax figure at Madame Tussauds in Singapore on September 4 last year and felt that it would serve as a “reminder of the legacy she leaves behind”. “She was my wife and I love her and loved her beyond imagination but I also respected her art, the passion and dedication with which she committed herself to her work,” said Boney Kapoor in an earlier interview with Gulf News over the phone. At that time of the phone call, Kapoor couldn’t hold back tears and had to take a break from the call as memories of his wife flooded him.Image Credit: Instagram

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On the occasion of her birth anniversary, Boney Kapoor tweeted: “Jaan missing you lots every second of the 900 days you left us , but more so today to see the joy on your face for the good reaction to Janu’s work in Gunjan, I wish you were here with us, our joy is incomplete without you. Happy birthday my love my life.”Image Credit: Twitter

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The actress' daughter Janhvi posted a sweet picture of the two of them and a simple note: "I love you mumma."Image Credit: Instagram

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Just days before tragedy struck the family on February 24, 2018, Sridevi and family had travelled to Ras Al Khaimah for the wedding of her nephew Mohit Marwah. The event was a joyous star-studded one, attended by the likes of Karan Johar, Manish Malhotra, Arjun Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor.Image Credit: Supplied

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After the wedding, Sridevi stayed in Dubai at Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel. Her husband surprised her by flying in from India. However, she accidentally drowned in her bathtub and her body was found by Boney. Her body was taken back to Mumbai for the last rites. She was cremated with state honours and also received a gun salute at her funeral.Image Credit: AP

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Sridevi wasn’t around to watch her elder daughter Janhvi Kapoor make her Bollywood debut with ‘Dhadak’, but her daughter makes it a point to always pay homage to her mother. She bears a striking resemblance to her mum and is aware that a cross-section of Bollywood movie fans have a certain kind of goodwill towards her because of her mother’s illustrious work in cinema. “I remember while I was filming thinking that I need to act like her. She has got so much love, respect and admiration from so many people. I have so much gratitude for that and I know that she did too. I want to make them [her fans and well-wishers] happy and proud as much as I want to make her proud. The validation that I looked from her, I would now be looking from them,” said Janhvi during an earlier interview with Gulf News.Image Credit: Supplied

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Sridevi had a blazing career in Bollywood and in South India. But what struck this journalist most was that the icon — who acted in dozens of top-grossers like ‘Chandini’, ‘Mr India’ and ‘Naagin’ — loved being a mother to her two daughters. In an earlier interview with Gulf News as she promoted the movie ‘Mom’, she spoke about how she loved living the simple life. “I am a simple, ordinary mother. I am after their lives all the time, making their lives miserable saying eat, eat, eat and sleep, sleep, sleep... But there’s one dialogue [in ‘Mom’] which says our job as a parent is not to make them understand, but to understand them. This is very poignant and important, that it is not necessary to give them lectures. I apply that to my life too,” said Sridevi in one of her last conversations with Gulf News.Image Credit: IANS

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While she was a hands-on mother, she was also supremely confident and versatile in front of the camera. Millions idolised her dancing skills and her love for physical comedy. In films like ‘Chaal Baaz’ in which she played a double role, her comic timing was impeccable. Her scenes with Rajinikanth, who played a goofy alcoholic cab driver, are pure comic gold.Image Credit: IANS

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While it is impossible to list out all her 300 films, one of the best ways to pay it forward to her memory would be to re-visit her classics. The romantic drama ‘Chandini’ in which she played the titular role as a feisty woman who goes through soul-stirring heart-break is still enjoyable. The songs in which she croons with late actor Rishi Kapoor in a yellow sari still has the power to draw you into her escapist love stories.Image Credit:

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But if you are looking for something more recent there’s always Sridevi’s ‘English Vinglish’ in which she played a submissive housewife who quickly learns that mastering English is a way to attain dignity with her husband. She enrols for a course to study spoken English while on a visit to the United States and that stirring drama of a woman finding herself resonated with millions of her fans.Image Credit:

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But if you are in the mood for something more poignant, make sure to re-visit her timeless romance ‘Lamhe’. Her chemistry with Anil Kapoor is spot on and the movie explored an unconventional terrain in Hindi cinema where a young girl [Sri Devi] falls in love with a much-older man. Played efficiently by Kapoor, the romance became more murky because he used to be in love with her mother, making the relationship almost sacrilegious in his eyes. The inner turmoil of falling in love with a wide age-gap, now normalised, was explored with great tenderness in ‘Lamhe’.Image Credit:

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If romantic dramas of Sridevi doesn’t rock your boat, then indulge in a bit of Bollywood fantasy with ‘Nagina’, the film in which Sridevi played a shape-shifting snake. Her transformation from a dazzling woman to a serpent is a sight to behold.Image Credit: Supplied

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While the fans still seek closure even two years after Sridevi’s death, the only way to celebrate her legacy and lives is through her cinematic gems. While she may not be among us to celebrate her birth, her films will always be enjoyed.Image Credit: