The news that 34-year-old actor Sushant Singh Rajput, a chirpy young man at the pinnacle of his Bollywood career, was found dead at his Mumbai home on Sunday has sent shock waves across the country.
It is believed that he has committed suicide. In a career that spanned barely over a decade, Rajput got nominated for many awards for his performances in movies and TV shows and won some of these.
The very theme of Rajput’s last notable venture Chhichhore was against suicides. The film saw him portray the role of a sensitive, middle-aged father who resuscitates his son, after the young lad jumps off the window, shattered over flunking engineering entrance exams.
Only last week, the actor mourned his former manager Salian’s death and called it ‘devastating news’.
“It’s such devastating news. My deepest condolences to Disha’s family and friends. May your soul rest in peace,” he had written on his Instagram stories. The last social media post shared by Rajput was dedicated to his mother, who passed away in 2002 when he was a teenager.
“Blurred past evaporating from teardrops. Unending dreams carving an arc of smile. And a fleeting life, negotiating between the two,” read the Instagram post shared on 3 June with his mother’s picture.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi mourned Rajput’s death, remembering him as a ‘bright young actor’. “Sushant Singh Rajput…a bright young actor gone too soon. He excelled on TV and in films. His rise in the world of entertainment inspired many and he leaves behind several memorable performances. Shocked by his passing away. My thoughts are with his family and fans. Om Shanti,” he tweeted.
Many celebrities too have expressed shock and condolence over the demise of Rajput, who had played cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the biopic .Though Rajput made it big, the worldly success could not hold back the actor who betrayed a brooding, melancholic side of himself in his last Instagram post of a week ago (about his moghter) which has gone viral.
In his last screen appearance, Chhichhore , Rajput played the role of a father who conveys the message of hope and affirmation to his son after he attempts suicide. He could have watched the film once before taking the extreme step.