Popular Indian TV and film star Siddharth Shukla has died at the age of 40 from a suspected heart attack, it has been reported. Citing a doctor from the Cooper hospital in Mumbai, the BBC said that Mr Shukla was already dead when he was brought in on Thursday.
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The doctor told the broadcaster that the cause of death was not currently clear, but Indian media reported that he had died from a heart attack. ‘He was brought dead to the hospital some time ago,’ a senior Cooper Hospital official told Indian news station PTI. ‘Initial report indicates that he died of a heart attack.
We, however, won’t be able to confirm the cause of his death until we complete the post mortem,’ Hindustan Times reported, quoting a senior doctor from the forensic department of the hospital. Shukla had acted in Bollywood films and starred in a number of hit TV shows.
‘This has completely shocked the television industry,’ Rohit Khilnani, NDTV Entertainment’s Group Editor, said on the channel reacting to the news. ‘The film industry, the entire entertainment industry is shocked that a young actor like Sidharth Shukla who was fit – very active, working non-stop – what exactly happened? What lead to the heart attack? Absolutely shocking and tragic news.’
An outpouring of tributes from his friends and colleagues from the television industry hit social media shortly after the news broke. Many expressed their sadness and shock that the actor had died at such a young age.
One person wrote:: ‘Shocked and saddened by the untimely demise of television & film actor #SidharthShukla Heartfelt condolences to his family, friends & admirers.’
Another added: ‘I heard about #SidharthShukla please god that was shocking that’s kinda unbelievable but may his soul rest in peace.’ Fellow actor Manoj Bajpayee wrote: ‘This is So Shocking!!! Words will fail to describe the shock and sense of loss of his near and dear ones !!! May he rest in peace !!!’
He made his television debut in Babul Ka Aangann Chootey Na, in 2008, before going on to act in a number of more shows. He made his film debut in 2014 with Bollywood movie Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, which proved successful and brought him wider fame.
In 2019, he won the popular reality TV show Bigg Boss, based on Big Brother, and won another reality TV show Khataron ke Khiladi – based on American series ‘Fear Factor’.
Subsequently, he went on to host his own shoes – including India’s Got Talent – and amassed over 3.7 million followers on Instagram.
His final post on the social media site was a tribute to the medical workers in India fighting the coronavirus pandemic. ‘To all the frontline warriors, a thank you from the heart! You risk your lives, work for countless hours, and comfort patients who couldn’t be with their families,’ he wrote. He is survived by his mother and two sisters.
Credit: DailyMail
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