Sushant Singh Rajput, Bollywood Star, Dies at 34
By Mr. Rajput, best known for his roles in the films “Kai Po Che” and “M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story,” got his start on television in 2008.
Sushant Singh Rajput, a prominent actor in Indian films and television programs, was found dead in his home in Mumbai on Sunday. He was 34.
His death was confirmed in a statement from his family, which did not mention a cause. The police in Mumbai said that Mr. Rajput’s death was a suicide, and that an investigation was underway.
“It pains us to share that Sushant Singh Rajput is no longer with us,” the family statement read. “We request his fans to keep him in their thoughts and celebrate his life and his work like they have done so far. We request the media to help us maintain privacy at this moment of grief.”
Mr. Rajput started his acting career on television, where he was best known for his role as a car mechanic, Manav Deshmukh, in “Pavitra Rishta,” a soap opera that debuted in 2009. After leaving the show in 2011, he made his Bollywood debut in 2013 in “Kai Po Che,” a film based on a novel by Chetan Bhagat. Mr. Rajput received praise for his performance as a gifted but troubled cricket player; the critic Taran Adarsh said Mr. Rajput was “blessed with wonderful screen presence.” He also received a Filmfare Award nomination.
The news of Mr. Rajput’s death sent shock waves through India’s film industry and through a country that has continued to battle a rising number of coronavirus cases even as it emerged from a monthslong lockdown. Several prominent leaders and actors took to social media to offer their condolences. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Mr. Rajput “a bright young actor gone too soon,” writing on Twitter that “he excelled on TV and in films.”