Amidst the uncertainty and state of panic that the current pandemic COVID-19 has created for all of us, the young, bright star Sushant Singh Rajput from Tinsel town abruptly ends his life. Tragic and shocking, the news sends shivers all across the country. Why would have he done that?
His family had lost control of their consciousness, friends stood at a shocking standstill, colleagues were deeply saddened, and lakhs of fans grieved for the smiling, talented Actor Sushant Singh Rajput.
And then followed, as it happens, more digging into his life and career. A sharp, intelligent engineering student who believed in diligence, excelled in Quantum Physics and made the people of Bihar proud by shining on the small screen and in a short span of time; became a household name as “Pavitra Rishta’s lead actor”, a serial with co-star Ankita Lokhande, who had also been his girlfriend for a long time. Nothing would separate them, as they joined Mumbai parties and enjoyed vacations and exhibited their partnership publicly. Even Sushant would not have known the contours of his fate when he sent his entry for “Jhalak Dikhla Jaa” a popular dance show on TV where he not only managed to impress the judges and stole the heart of his audience, but also proved his dancing prowess by taking the crown home.
This is when he started getting noticed a bit more seriously. Deft, difficult steps not only showed his meticulous and committed artistry but his desire for nothing but excellence. He was extraordinary. And he did it all with a heart -stealing, enchanting smile.
Sushant Singh Rajput started his fruitful career from TV shows and this is where he caught the attention of most of his fans and admirers. His debut role was in “Kis Desh Mein Hai Meraa Dil”, which was a TV serial about two lovers, Prem and Heer, and all the troubles they have to go through. This was also Sushant Singh Rajput’s first debut TV serial and the actor played the role of Preet Juneja, who was Prem’s step-brother. He was featured on many episodes and had already caught the eyes of the audience with his effortless acting. He played the role of Manav in his most famous and well-known work, “Pavitra Rishta” and went on to win many awards for his outstanding acting. He won awards like Most Popular Actor, Best Television Actor, Best Actor in a Lead Role, Best Actor in a Lead Role and many more for his acting on the TV serial.
Then he got a call finally-from Abhishek Kapoor who was looking for fresh, raw talent for his movie “Kai Po Che”, also featuring Rajkumar Rao and Mohit Sadh. The movie achieved critical acclaim and Sushant started getting more roles.
He had arrived, as they say in the Cinema Industry. This arrival cost him a dent in his personal life. Ankita and he decided to break their relationship. His journey into the world of Hindi Cinema saw a swift ride.
Films after films followed. Unlike his contemporaries, Sushant had featured in just 10 films in a span of eight years. In “Shuddh Desi Romance”, he played a young guide in a live-in relationship with the actress Parineeti Chopra. In PK, he got a small role. He was the usual romantic hero, who choreographers loved. He danced with so much ease as if no-one was watching. A delight to the eye, his career progressed in a very short span. “Detective Byomkesh Bakshi”, “Luka Chipii” and others. But in movies like “Sonchiraiyaan” and “Chicchore”, he got appreciation from the industry critics and avid movie watchers.
But then, taking the journey too far was looking a little tiresome, getting the right roles, new movies, without any Godfather in the industry. Some movies that he was first offered, were later on given to others.
Not many people know that Sushant Singh Rajput is a voracious reader. The star was often seen with a book on film sets.
A source close to the Bollywood actor said, “While shooting for his films, even if he is free for a few minutes, Sushant picks up his book and continues reading. He enjoys reading a variety of books, including fiction and non-fiction titles.” The source adds that even when Sushant is travelling around the country for work, he carries a couple of books with him. “Sushant likes to keep himself engaged. Reading helps him relax. He believes the activity also allows him to learn more. It’s a habit he has maintained for several years now,” says the insider.
His career saw new heights as he stepped into the shoes of Indian cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the latter’s biopic, “M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story” in 2016. The film went on to collect Rs 133 crore at the domestic box office and made him count among the leading actors of his generation. The Hindustan Times review of the film had mentioned about his performance, “His body language, walk, helicopter shot, everything matches the India captain.” There was this Bihari in him that got reflected so poignantly in the film.
His portrayal of lovable womanizer Shiv in his 2017 movie “Raabta” endeared fans to his delightful performance.
Outstanding reviews of his movie “Kedarnath”, a historical romance action film, in 2018: “Sushant Singh Rajput shines in Kedarnath” written by News18, and “While Sushant Singh Rajput does much of the heavy lifting with a great deal of flair, the biggest asset is Sara Ali Khan” by NDTV.
Having lost her at a young age, Sushant was very fond of his mother. He quite frequently used to share posts about her on his social media account. His last Instagram post was also about his mother.
Sushant was a National level Olympiad winner in Physics and had cleared as many as 11 engineering entrance exams. However, he dropped out after completing three years at the Delhi School of Engineering to chase his dream of becoming an actor. He also stood at 7th Rank AIEEE in 2003.
The 34-yearold actor has also attended acting classes by Barry John in Delhi. While being in Delhi, Sushant was a part of Nadira Babbar’s Ekjute theatre group and the Shiamak Davar’s dance group.
Just like his reading habits, only very few people were aware, but Sushant also had a passion for astronomy and frequently used to share pictures about star gazing experiments on his social media accounts. His love for astrophysics also led him to purchase an expensive, Boeing 737 Fixed Base Flight Simulator in 2018. He was also perfectly qualified to converse about astrophysics at sunrise. His “Kai Po Che!” and “Kedarnath” director Abhishek Kapoor revealed in his tribute that Mr Rajput was a science buff, signing off with “stay interstellar.”
He had reportedly been working on the Netflix film “Drive”, and his next movie “Dil Bechara”, which was the adaptation of the American film “The Fault in Our Stars”.
Bihar was so proud of him. Their son had made the soil proud. How far he would go? Some odd, rumoured linkups were not enough to satiate his emotional needs.
He missed his mother as revealed by his last Instagram post, craving her unconditional love. He would often write about physics and life and discuss it with his colleagues.
Priyanka Chopra while remembering him, talks about their conversations about the world of pure science.
Did he want to talk? Did he think too much while staying alone? Was he burdened, too sad?
We don’t know as he hid it all beneath that contagious smile.
A Hero has gone, for whom the stars had waited.
We wanted to see more of him.
He is with the stars now, away from us
May peace be yours Sushant.
