Bollywood actress-singer Sulakshana Pandit passes away

Bollywood lost another legend yesterday. Sulakshana Pandit, famed Indian playback singer and movie star, passed away on Nov 6 after a prolonged illness. She was 71.

Sulakshana died in Mumbai, confirmed her brother, music composer Lalit Pandit. "She passed away due to cardiac arrest around 7pm. She had complained of breathlessness and seemed a bit unwell. We were taking her to Nanavati hospital but she died before we could reach the hospital," he told PTI.

The actor, whose movie credits include Dharam Kanta and Kasam Khoon Ki, was born on July 12, 1954 in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh.

Her family is known for its musical heritage. Her brothers were the composer dup Jatin-Lalit and her uncle was the legendary Pandit Jasraj.

Sulakshana’s musical career took off when she was rather young; at nine, she debuted with the duet Saat Samandar Paar Se, which she sang alongside Lata Mangeshkar for the film Taqdeer. In 1975, her song Tu Hi Sagar Hai Tu Hi Kinara from Sankalp (1975) only cemented her success.

Besides this, she also worked in the Bengali film Bandie (1978) alongside actor Uttam Kumar.

Details of her last rites are awaited.