Highlights
- Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput dies at 34
- The actor last came to Australia for the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne in 2017
- Mr Rajput was best known for his roles in films like 'Kai Po Che' and 'MS Dhoni'
A rising superstar, Mr Rajput was one of the Bollywood celebrities who had flown to Australia for the annual Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) in August 2017, alongside Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Karan Johar and Rajkummar Rao.
The multi-talented star bagged the ‘Best Actor’ award at the festival for the title role in the biopic, ‘MS Dhoni: The Untold Story’, based on the life and career of the former Indian cricket team captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Speaking to reporters during the festival the actor, who was one of the very few who segued from television into mainstream Bollywood spoke candidly about how Australia was pivotal in marking a culmination of his career in the world of cinema.
The last time I was here in Melbourne was in 2006 during the Common Wealth Games. I was in Shiamak's group dancing behind all the Bollywood stars and now being recognised as the best actor really feels great - Sushant Singh Rajput
The founder of IFFM and director of Mind Blowing Films, Mitu Bhowmik Lange who was instrumental in bringing Mr Rajput to Australia said she was still processing the “untimely loss” of the actor who had an amazing body of work ahead of him.
“I am still trying to process the loss. When someone goes, it’s always a loss, but when someone you know suddenly goes in this manner, it is very hard to come to terms with it,” she said.
Reminiscing special moments with the ‘loving and thoughtful’ star during his visit to Melbourne, Ms Lange recalled an incident when Mr Rajput reappeared at the iconic Federation Square for the sake of his fans.
Mitu Bhowmick Lange sharing the stage with Sushant SIngh Rajput and Karan Johar Source: Supplied/IFFM
“I clearly remember we were screening his film MS Dhoni in the evening at Federation Square when it started raining, but that didn’t deter his fans from watching the film. I called Sushant who had returned to his hotel by then, to tell him that his fans were braving the bad weather and were still watching the film.
“To everyone’s surprise, he returned to the venue to watch the film with them and thanked them for staying. It was so special, beautiful and thoughtful of him to return for the sake of his fans. It warmed my heart,” she added.
Sunny Duggal, a Melbourne-based real estate manager who attended the event three years ago and shared an up-close moment with Mr Rajput said, “It is one of the best memories of my lifetime.”
Sudhant Singh Rajput interacting with his fans at Federation Square in Melbourne in 2017. Source: Supplied/IFFM
“I asked him if I could click a picture with him and he said let me make a special pose for you and so he did. I remember asking him about his trip to Melbourne and he told me that the crowd support outside India was overwhelming and he felt at home,” said Mr Duggal.
Talking about the candid picture he clicked with the star, the 43-year-old said: “Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.”
Sunny Duggal's selfie with Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput and IFFM founder Mitu Bhowmick Lange in the background. Source: Supplied
Bollywood career
Mr Rajput started his acting career on television where he was best known for his role as a mechanic in an emotional family drama ‘Pavitra Rishta’ in 2009. He later made his Bollywood debut in 2013 in ‘Kai Po Che’, which won acclaim at the Berlin Film Festival. His last Bollywood outing ‘Drive’ was a film that released on Netflix.
While the police is still investigating the cause of his death, his family released a statement asking the actor's fans to “celebrate his life and work” and appealed the media to respect their privacy.
“We request his fans to keep him in their thoughts and celebrate his life and his work like they have done so far. We request the media to help us maintain privacy at this moment of grief,” read a statement from Mr Rajput’s family.
Sydney-based film producer Anupam Sharma said the news of his death has left him “shocked and speechless.”
Sushant Singh Rajput at the IFFM awards night in August 2017. Source: Supplied/IFFM
“He wasn’t a star kid, it was his sheer talent that made him a star. I have always said that creative people use their heart, body and soul as a tool, and his death proves a point that creative minds are more susceptible and gullible to mental health issues and therefore it’s very important to reach out for help and talk to people around you,” he said.
Bollywood stars and fans of the film world who are still reeling from the shock of the deaths of two legendary actors, Irrfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor in April took to social media to mourn yet another loss of the cinematic world.
Mr Rajput's next film 'Dil Bechara' which is a Hindi adaptation of John Green's famous novel, 'The fault in our stars' was slated for a May release but was indefinitely postponed due to the pandemic.
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