‘Letting go’ of people is perhaps the hardest thing a human mind could deal with. Add to that, when the loss is of a near and dear one or someone who has exerted tremendous influence in one’s life, the pain and hardship only increases. Unfortunately, just like 2020, in the year 2021 as well, we lost some gems from the world of showbiz. Here’s remembering them one last time before we begin a new chapter in 2022.
Amit Mistry: All fans of popular TV shows like ‘Tenali Rama’, ‘A Gentleman’ and ‘Saat Phero Ki Hera Pherie’ got the shock of their lives when they heard that actor Amit Mistry is no more. The actor comes from a strong theatrical background that helped him mark his niche in a challenging space like the Indian entertainment industry. Just like Sidharth Shukla, Raj Kaushal, and Puneeth Rajkumar, he too passed away due to cardiac arrest and he was just 47 when he breathed his last.
Anupam Shyam (Pratigya): Veteran actor Anupam Shyam was most popular for his role as ‘Thakur Sajjan Singh’ in the popular TV show, ‘Mann Kee Awaaz Pratigya’. The passion for acting ran in his blood and that solely proved to be the source of determination for him to work till an old age. He passed away at 63 due to multiple organ failure and it was one of the most heartbreaking deaths this year. May God bless his soul.
Arvind Trivedi (Ramayan): Mythological shows may come and go in Indian TV space but ‘Ramayana’ of Doordarshan has a separate fan base altogether. Unfortunately in 2021, we lost Arvind Trivedi who was the face of Ravana’s character in the show. Owing to Covid and no new shoots happening, old shows like Ramayana were played again on TV during lockdown and that’s why, the loss of Arvind Trivedi has made fans all the way more nostalgic. He passed away at 82 due to old-age related issues. May his soul rest in peace.
Bikramjeet Kanwarpal: Veteran actor Bikramjeet Kanwarpal was another talented artiste whom we unfortunately lost in 2021. He has been a part of some amazing movies and special mention of Rocket Singh: Salesman Of The Year, Marjaavan, 2 States, Page 3, Corporate, Indu Sarkar, Murder 2 and Ghazi Attack are a must. We unfortunately lost him due to Covid at just 52. May his soul be well.
Brahma Mishra: At last, we have another name in the heartbreaking list of deaths due to cardiac arrest before 50. Actor Brahma Mishra who’s best known for the portrayal of Lalit in Mirzapur web series was found dead at his house this year a few weeks back. He had reportedly complained of chest pain two days before his demise and after his body was sent for autopsy, it was reported that the cause of death was a massive heart attack. He was just 36 when he breathed his last and undoubtedly, he passed away too soon. May his soul be at peace.
Dilip Kumar: With a name of Dilip Kumar’s charisma and charm, you always hope that no matter what goes wrong, the ‘hero’ inside him will take care of things and he will return home safely all healthy and hearty despite multiple hospitalizations. Sadly, this wasn’t the case this year after he turned 98. He’s been an ‘institution’ when it comes to acting and with his magic on-screen, he has inspired generations. ‘Sahab’, you will forever be missed.
Ghanshyam Nayak: If you are someone who has watched TMKOC over the years, there’s absolutely no way you would have not loved the amazing and energetic, happy-go-lucky character of Natu Kaka. After some amazing work in Gujarati theatre, he became a household name with TMKOC. The veteran actor passed away due to cancer at 77 but his zeal and determination to work till his last breath deserves a special recognition. May God bless his soul.
Madhavi Gogate: Veteran actress Madhavi Gogate who was doing a phenomenal job in the critically-acclaimed hit TV show ‘Anupamaa’ succumbed in 2021 to Covid-19 related complications post her diagnosis. What’s worse is she was just 58 and she had a lot more to offer to the industry given the talent she had. Some of her other notable works include ‘Kohi Apna Sa’ (2001-2003) and Kaal Bhairav Rahasya (2017-2019). She left all her co-stars including Rupali Ganguly heartbroken after her demise. May God bless her soul.
Manisha Yadav: ‘Jodha Akbar’ actress Manisha Yadav had gained quite a lot of popularity and fan following after her role of ‘Salima Begum’ in the show. Her death was one of the most heartbreaking as she was only 29 when she suffered from a ‘brain hemorrhage’.
Puneeth Rajkumar: The man was an absolute ‘cult’ of a personality in the Kannada regional entertainment industry. ‘Power Star’ and ‘Appu’, as he was fondly called by his loyal legion of fans, his death surprised everyone in the country. He, unfortunately, suffered from a massive cardiac arrest while working out at just 46 and that was the end. His death will go down in Kannada cinema history as one of the most tragic and heartbreaking ever.
Raj Kaushal: Heart attacks at a young age have become extremely common in the last few years and in 2021, we saw really shocking deaths due to the same. Mandira Bedi’s husband, Raj Kaushal was all healthy and hearty till he suffered from a massive heart attack at age 49. Never-ending tear drops from a heartbroken Mandira Bedi was perhaps the most difficult sight to watch at that point of time. May God bless his soul.
Rajiv Kapoor: It was a heartbreaking ‘double blow’ for the Kapoor family in Bollywood. In the year 2020, they, unfortunately, lost Rishi Kapoor and just the very next year, Rajiv Kapoor passed away at the age of just 58 due to cardiac arrest. Some of his evergreen movies include the likes of ‘Ram Teri Ganga Maili’, ‘Lover Boy’, ‘Aasman’, ‘Prem Granth’, Zalzala, Aa Ab Laut Chalen and many more. Gone too soon is what we can say as we remember him and his work one last time before the new year 2022.
Sidharth Shukla: Without any element of doubt, the man was certainly in the best phase of his career when he, unfortunately, passed away due to a massive cardiac arrest. After Bigg Boss win, everything was panning out perfectly for him and he was labelled as the ‘Superstar Of Tomorrow’. His death left a permanent void in the industry that’s very hard to fill.
Shravan Rathod (Nadeem-Shravan): The musical duo have been responsible for some of the most phenomenal and blockbuster film albums in Bollywood. Some of the best albums they worked together in were Saajan Chale Sasural, Payal, Ilaka, Saajan, Barsaat, Ishq Forever and many more. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic got the better of Shravan and after a long battle with the virus, he breathed his last at a Mumbai hospital at age 66. He may no longer be alive but his evergreen songs will forever keep him alive in the minds of one and all.
Surekha Sikri: Surekha Sikri was one of the most respected and admired veteran actresses among the Indian actresses. Her body of work spreads across TV and movies and she was undoubtedly the most popular choice 9/10 times when it came to playing a character of a fun-loving mother/grandmother. She passed away at the age of 76 due to cardiac arrest in Mumbai and all we can say is that her legacy and sheer brilliance will be remembered forever.
Vinod Dua: Veteran journalist Vinod Dua aka Comedian Mallika Dua’s father has been a legendary personality in the Indian journalism space. He became the first-ever personality to be bestowed with the honour of the ‘Ramnath Goenka Excellence In Journalism’ way back in the year 1996. After he retired, his daughter Mallika Dua continued to bring glory to the family with her amazing work. He was just 67 when he breathed his last after dealing with prolonged illness. All we can say is a ‘pillar’ of a figure in Indian journalism left us this year with only his legacy to celebrate in the coming years.
Virgil Abloh (Fashion Designer): In the world of fashion and creativity where new ideas are needed almost everyday to create something special, Virgil Abloh and his brilliance in his art was seen throughout his entire career. The ‘Louis Vuitton’ designer and ‘Off-White’ founder was one of the most respected names in the global fashion industry. We unfortunately lost him at the age of just 41 due to cancer. The person may no longer be there but his legacy stays forever.