Pratyusha Banerjee death: Other stars who died young
Sadly, the 24-year-old actress was one of the many celebrities who have died tragically
The death of TV actress Pratyusha Banerjee yet again brings to the fore the tensions, pressures and insecurities that are a major part of the glamour-filled life of a celebrity.
What may begin with pearly smiles and starry eyes full of hope, could end in despair, which several celebrities have been unable to cope with.
Here are some Indian celebrities who either committed suicide or died under tragic circumstances:
- Pratyusha Banerjee, 24: Famous for her portrayal as Anandi in the TV show Balika Vadhu, Banerjee committed suicide in Mumbai on Friday. The actress hanged herself from a fan at her Goregaon residence. Her boyfriend Rahul Raj Singh took her to the hospital, where she was declared dead.
- Jiah Khan, 25 (2013): She had done just three Bollywood films and starred alongside A-listers Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar and Aamir Khan. Khan was found dead, hanging from her ceiling fan in June 2013 at her residence in Juhu, Mumbai. She left behind a suicide note in which she mentioned her “abusive relationship” with actor Aditya Pancholi’s son Sooraj.
- Viveka Babajee, 37 (2010): The Mauritian model and actress was best known for her KamaSutra condom advertisements. Babajee was found hanging from the ceiling fan of her Mumbai apartment in 2010. She blamed boyfriend Gautam Vohra for her death in a diary entry. Police said that she committed suicide due to depression.
- Kuljeet Randhawa, 30 (2006): An actress and a model, Randhawa acted in the TV show C.A.T.S, an Indian version of Charlie’s Angels. She hanged herself in her apartment in Juhu, Mumbai, in 2006. She left behind a suicide note stating that she was ending her life as she was unable to cope with life’s pressures.
- Parveen Babi, 55 (2005): The veteran actress was found dead in her apartment in 2005. She had a successful career that spanned over a decade, but during the last days of her life, Babi was reportedly alone. The Namak Halaal star had been suffering from psychological problems for some time.
- Nafisa Joseph, 26 (2004): The model-turned-video jockey, who acted in the TV series C.A.T.S along with Randhawa, hanged herself in her flat in Versova, Mumbai, in July 2004.
- Silk Smitha, 35 (1996): Known as a Southern sex symbol, Smitha was found dead at the age of 36 under mysterious circumstances. Her body was found hanging by a rope near her home in Chennai in 1996.
- Divya Bharti, 19 (1993): The actress, who gained popularity in Bollywood in the ’90s with films such as Shola Aur Shabnam and Deewana, died at the peak of her career at the age of 19. The actress died just 11 months after her marriage to producer Sajid Nadiadwala. Bharti reportedly fell from the balcony of her five-storey apartment building. Her death remains a mystery.
- Guru Dutt, 39 (1964): One of the Hindi film legends, Dutt, known for hugely popular films such as Sanjh Aur Savera and Chaudhvin Ka Chand, was found dead in his rented apartment in Mumbai in 1964. The cause of death was found to be a lethal combination of sleeping pills and liquor.
