It will not be an exaggeration to say that this pandemic has been a doomed time for all of us. The year 2020 started with the depressing news of the coronavirus pandemic. Soon, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a nationwide lockdown, and all of us were locked inside our homes by March 2020 to contain the spread of the deadly disease. With theatres being closed off in lockdown, the pandemic affected the business of cinema as well. However, that was not it. Bollywood also witnessed the deaths of many prominent personalities during this tough time of the pandemic.
From Sushant Singh Rajput to Siddharth Shukla, many celebrities breathed their last and left a void in the entertainment industry in this pandemic. Here is a list of some Indian celebrities we lost while staying at home in the pandemic.
1) Sushant Singh Rajput
On June 14, 2020, Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead in his Bandra, Mumbai apartment. With a supporting role in the TV show “Kis Desh Mein Hai Meraa Dil”, the actor started his acting journey. He was next seen playing the lead role in “Pavitra Rishta”, portraying the character of Manav Deshmukh. He made his Bollywood debut in Abhishek Kapoor’s “Kai Po Che” in 2013. However, his performance in 2016’s “MS Dhoni: The Untold Story” got him much-deserved recognition. While he received immense love at the box office for Nitesh Tiwari’s “Chhichhore”, he was critically acclaimed for Abhishek Chaubey’s “Sonchiriya”. After his death, Sushant’s last film Dil Bechara had a digital release.
2) Irrfan Khan
Irrfan had a two-year battle with the neuroendocrine tumor. He breathed last on April 29 in Mumbai’s Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital. In 2018, the actor traveled to London for his treatment. And everyone thought that there’s no stopping for him now when he returned in 2019. He shot for Homi Adajania’s “Angrezi Medium”. The actor held his morale high during the shoot despite his weak health and completed it on time.
3) Rishi Kapoor
In September 2018, Rishi Kapoor was diagnosed with leukemia. The actor flew down to New York for treatment. He returned to Mumbai in 2019 all fit and fine after spending more than a year in the Big Apple. However, Rishi Kapoor passed away on April 30, 2020, after his health deteriorated. He made his acting debut as a child artist in the movie “Mera Naam Joker” (1970). Then seen as a lead in the 1973 film “Bobby” opposite Dimple Kapadia. He worked in hundreds of films in his acting career of more than four decades.
4) Saroj Khan
Saroj Khan was among the most famous choreographers in Bollywood. Following a cardiac arrest, she died in Mumbai on July 3. She choreographed nearly 2,000 songs in a career spanning over 40 years which is a record in itself. Her most popular songs include Hum Ko Aaj Kal Hai Intezaar, Ek Do Teen, Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai, Dhak Dhak Karne Laga, among others. She is best known for her collaborations with Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit. The last song she choreographed for a film “Kalank, Tabaah Ho Gaye.
5) SP Balasubrahmanyam
Legendary singer SP Balasubrahmanyam breathed his last on September 25 in Chennai. He has sung in 16 Indian languages throughout his career. He was the official playback voice of Salman Khan in the 90s. He is the recipient of a Padma Bhushan and six National Awards. His prowess in classical music won him many praises and accolades.
6) Wajid Khan
Due to a cardiac arrest on June 1, Wajid Khan of Bollywood music composer duo Sajid-Wajid died at the young age of 42. With his brother Sajid Khan, he composed many hit numbers for Salman Khan. Some of his popular songs include Jalwa, Chinta Ta Ta Chita Chita, Hud Hud Dabangg, and Fevicol Se.
7) Kumkum
Veteran Bollywood actress Kumkum died at the age of 86 on July 28. She featured in over 100 films and popular songs such as Mere Mehboob Qayamat Hogi and Kabhi Aar Kabhi Paar. She was best known for her roles in films like “Mother India”, “Son Of India”, “Ujala”, “Naya Daur”, Ek Sapera Ek Lutera”, and more.
8) Siddharth Shukla
Due to a heart attack, Siddharth Shukla died on 2nd September 2021 in HBT Medical College And Dr. R N Cooper Municipal General Hospital, Mumbai. He was an Indian actor, host, and model who appeared in Hindi films and television. He was known for his roles in “Dil Se Dil Tak”, “Balika Vadhu”, and ” Broken But Beautiful 3″. He also guests appeared in movies like “Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania” and “Soorma”. He emerged as the winner of reality shows “Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi 7” and “Bigg Boss 13”.
9) Basu Chatterjee
Due to age-related ailments, filmmaker-screenwriter Basu Chatterjee died on June 4 in Mumbai. He is best known for directing films like “Baaton Baaton Mein”, “Choti Si Baat”, “Rajnigandha”, and more. He also directed the television series “Rajani” and “Byomkesh Bakshi” for Doordarshan. The director is known for beautifully mixing commercially successful films with art-house cinema.
10) Nishikant Kamat
Director Nishikant Kamat passed away on August 17 in Hyderabad’s AIG Hospitals after a battle with liver cirrhosis. He was known for directing films like “Force”, “Drishyam”, “Rocky Handsome”, “Dombivali Fast”, and “Mumbai Meri Jaan”. He also worked as an actor in many Hindi films such as “Rocky Handsome”, “Julie 2”, “Daddy”, and “Bhavesh Joshi”. For his directorial debut Dombivali Fast in 2005, he won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Marathi.
