Yahoo Finance Sushant Singh Rajput: From being a Filmfare Awards background dancer to the leading man
The news sent a shock wave on a lazy Sunday morning. As the truth started to grow on his fans scattered around the globe, the realization came through. Sushant Singh Rajput is no more. His body was found hanging from the fan in his Bandra residence. The actor's death, prima facie, has been ruled out as suicide though no suicide note has so far been recovered. His last Instagram post reveals the magnitude of loneliness he was battling, that made him turn toward his mother whom he had lost in 2002.
Speaking to a news channel, Bollywood filmmaker Mukesh Bhatt claimed that he knew things were not all good with Sushant and had shared his concern with family and industry biggies, Alia Bhatt and Mahesh Bhatt. Colleagues from fraternity have expressed their shock and extended their prayers at the actor’s sudden unbelievable demise.
मेरे प्यारे सुशांत सिंह राजपूत....आख़िर क्यों?....क्यों? 💔
— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) June 14, 2020
While millions of us struggle to come to terms with this news, we must remember him as a self-made man who had achieved immensely in a field that tests one’s mettle to the greatest extremes. A child who aspired to be an astronaut eventually settled for the degree in Mechanical Engineering he was pursuing from Delhi College of Engineering. That was also the time he had started exploring the world of theatre and dance, enrolled in Shiamak Davar's classes, and danced as a background dancer in the Filmfare event, 2005. He could only complete three of the four-years-long course and dropped out in favor of a promising career in acting.
His television career commenced with Star Plus’ Kis Desh Mein Hai Meraa Dil, but it was only after he essayed “Manav” in Ekta Kapoor’s Pavitra Rishta, that he was showered with unprecedented love and admiration, not to mention, recognition, that was once bestowed upon Amar Upadhyay playing ‘Mihir Virani’ in Kyunki...
While shooting for the daily soap, Sushant fell for his on-screen wife, Ankita Lokhande. Together, they made an adorable couple and were labeled one of televisions best pairs, on as well as off-screen. They had also moved-in together, and the town was abuzz with rumors of an impending marriage. However, after six years of courtship, the couple decided to part ways.
Having contested in Jhalak Dikhla Jaa 4 and Zara Nachke Dikha, Sushant’s television run was called short by a quick and tempting Bollywood calling. His silver screen debut happened in 2013, with Abhishekh Kapoor’s milestone movie, Kai Po Che; he had sealed his arrival with a phenomenal performance as Ishaan Bhatt. The debutant took home Screen Award for Best Male Debut and was nominated for Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut and Zee Cine Award for Best Male Debut for his maiden film.
The next few releases like Suddh Desi Romance, PK, and Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! had placed him right at the center of Bollywood kingdom where he was racing against the likes of Ranbir Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor, and Varun Dhawan. In 2016, he stunned his fans once again, sending the ball off the park as he portrayed the former Indian skipper, MS Dhoni in his biographical drama, M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story.
The highly anticipated 2018-film Kedarnath, had him paired opposite Sara Ali Khan in the star-kid’s debut; the movie garnered a lot of attention and hype, which unfortunately didn’t translate into an equal box-office success. Sushant had three releases through 2019, namely, Sonchiriya, Chhichhore, and Drive. Though only Chhichhorey could sum up a business of over 200 crores, and the other two received a lukewarm response at the theatres, the actor was applauded for his rich repertoire and uniform versatility nonetheless.
But he had aspired for greater heights. The highs and lows of the unpredictable industry had taken a toll on the actor’s mental health and thrown him into a state of depression, which turned out to be the silent killer. Sushant was rumored to be dating actress Rhea Chakraborty, but none had ever bothered to confirm or deny the buzz.
Speaking of his one true passion, acting, he once said, "I found the experience liberating. I realized that I could communicate with the audience. I knew I wanted to do this forever."
Some forevers, we guess, are shorter than we'd like them to be. But, we’ll still get to see him one last time in the Hindi movie adaption of John Green’s ‘The Fault in Our Stars’, Dil Bechara.
