Days after the death of Sidharth Shukla, several Indian TV stars are still shaken by the actor’s sudden death, while others have appealed to fans to take better care of themselves after news reports stated a fan had slipped into coma upon hearing the news.
Actress Kavita Kaushik took to social media to connect with fans of Shukla dealing with the trauma of his death. “Saw images of a fan in a coma in an icu, Please take care of yourselves all Sidharth and Shehnaaz fans, I sincerely request you to think of your parents and families too! Sidharth would never be happy with this, to pay him respect pls be strong and try to lift each other up now [sic],” she tweeted.
Shukla, who gained popularity after featuring on shows such as ‘Balika Vadhu’ and ‘Bigg Boss’, was a popular name in the television industry and Bollywood. The actor was 40 at the time of his death, with reports stating he died of a heart attack. While it was never confirmed, the actor was linked to TV star Shehnaaz Gill at the time of his death, who according to reports, has been devastated following Shukla’s demise.
Shukla died at the peak of his TV career and the tragedy has left young actors shaken. For many, it’s been a shock wake-up call.
Articulating the prevailing sentiment, actor Himansh Kohli said he was still coming to terms with the news. “I don’t think that words can ever portray the pain each one of us felt when we heard about Sidharth’s untimely demise. I did not know him personally, but still, deep down, I’m deeply affected. His death has made me rethink our obsession with long-term planning. We need to invest in today more than in tomorrow,” he told IANS.
“I was at work at that time and there was a message that had came on my friends’ WhatsApp group about his death. For a minute, I could not understand what had happened. The first thing that came to my mind was that it must have been a rumour, but then my phone started ringing constantly and the news turned out to be true. Sidharth’s passing has left me, like most of us, numb and shocked, although I did not know him personally,” actor Sharad Malhotra told IANS.
Ronit Roy, too, did not know Shukla that well, but the actor’s death did not leave him unaffected. “I am really heartbroken. He had a great career ahead of him. The unconditional love that his fans showered upon him in the last few years was truly phenomenal. He was in a great position to build on the goodwill he enjoyed and it would have been so lovely to see him scale greater heights.”
Returning from Shukla’s funeral on Friday, Aly Goni remained in shock. “I can’t still believe that such a happy and hearty person is no more among us. He was so full of life. I have known him socially and he always came across as a warm person. I can’t even imagine the pain his family and Shehnaaz are going through. Life is so unpredictable and very unfair at times. I attended the funeral and I am still so numb. You will be missed, Sidharth.”
