Though 2020 has crossed halfway mark, it has offered little to cheer about. If COVID-19 continues to claim its victims bringing the entire world at its feet, the celluloid world lost many shining stars by the stroke of destiny, in some cases man-made. Here’s a brief look on some of them.
Irrfan Khan
On April 29, actor Irrfan Khan finally succumbed to a rare form of cancer, neuroendocrine tumour, after battling against it with a determined will power. Known for his impeccable acting, he had won accolades from the cine critics many times. Having established himself as a power house to reckon with in Bollywood, he had a great run in Hollywood also.
Rishi Kapoor
While the film lovers had yet to absorb the shock of Irrfan’s demise, came the news of loss of another star – Rishi Kapoor. The scion of Bollywoood’s first family, had returned from the US after undergoing treatment for cancer a few months back. On April 30, he followed Irrfan’s steps, leaving the world in bereavement. Debuting in his father Raj Kapoor’s ‘Mera Naam Joker’, the actor’s last movie was ‘Sharmaji Namkeen’ which remains incomplete.
Chiranjeevi Sarja
On June 7, the Kannada actor, known for movies such as ‘Chirru’, ‘Sinnga’, and ‘Amma I Love You’ died of cardiac arrest in Bangalore. Chiranjeevi made his debut in 2009 with Vayuputra.
Sushant Singh Rajput
The most tragic death of any actor during the year was that of young Sushant Singh Rajput on June 14. His death, claimed to be caused by suicide, has left not only his fans but also the film world in a state of shock till date. An accomplished actor at a very young age, he had endeared himself to millions of fans through his portrayal of Indian cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni on the silver screen.
Nimmi
Nawab Banoo, popularly known as Nimmi, breather her last on March 25 after a prolonged illness. The ‘Deedar’ actress made her debut with ‘Andaz’. Though she often appeared as second leads in many successful films, her performance earned her the reputation of an actress par excellence.
Jagdeep
On July 8, veteran actor Jagdeep left the world at the age of 81. Best known for his iconic role as Soorma Bhopali in ‘Sholay’, he had worked in more than 400 films in his long career that started from black and white age.
Susheel Gowda
Kannada TV actor Susheel Gowda died on July 7 by committing suicide at a young age of 30. His role in TV serial ‘Anthpura’ stands out as a memorable one. Why he resorted to the extreme step still remains a mystery.
Jagesh Mukati
June 10 was a sad day in the Indian soap history when the news of television and theatre actor Jagesh Mukati broke. He had also worked in Bollywood films like ‘Hasee Toh Phasee’, ‘Mann’ and ‘PK’. He passed away at the age of 47 and had been battling obesity. He was known for his roles in TV serials like ‘Amita ka Amit’ and ‘Shree Ganesh’.
