One of Bollywood’s finest actors, Sushant Singh Rajput, known for his impeccable performance in the film M.S. Dhoni, was reported to have commited suicide.
The actor who rose to fame with his performance as the cricketer Dhoni in the film 'MS Dhoni :The Untold Story' passed away after hanging himself at his home in Mumbai's Bandra area on Sunday morning.
A domestic help had alerted the police. Rajput, 34, hailed from Bihar and was educated in Patna and New Delhi, before shifting to Mumbai.
Rajput was a television actor, dancer, television personality, an entrepreneur and a philanthropist.
He started his career with television serials. His debut show was Star Plus's romantic drama Kis Desh Main Hain Mera Dil, followed by an award-winning performance in Zee TV's popular soap opera Pavithra Rishta.
All of 34, the actor is known to have done some really good performances and roles in many Bollywood films over the last couple of years.
He made his film debut in Abhishek Kapoor's 2013 release, "Kai Po Che", and was seen in films like "Detective Byomkesh Bakshi," "Raabta," "Kedarnath" and "Shudh Desi Romance".
Sushant Singh Rajput poses for a photograph during a shoot.
He has worked with Bollywood stars like Sara Ali Khan, Kiara Advani, Kriti Sanon, Disha Patani, Vaani Kapoor and many more actresses from the Bollywood film industry.
Bollywood and social media reacted with shock and disbelief on hearing the news of Rajput's death.
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A few days back the Sushant Singh Rajput and Varun Sharma's former manager Disha Salian had also reportedly committed suicide by jumping off the 14th floor of her apartment in Malad.
Fellow star Akshay Kumar wrote on Twitter that he was "shocked and speechless".
"Such a talented actor... may God give strength to his family."
An ambulance carrying the body of Sushant Singh Rajput leaves his residence in Mumbai. AFP
Bollywood is still struggling to come to terms with the loss of two luminaries, Irrfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor, in April.
In early June, Wajid Khan, one of the top composers of Bollywood dance songs, died at the age of 42 after contracting coronavirus, according to media reports.
Celebrated filmmaker Basu Chatterjee passed away just a week ago. He was 90.
Born in Patna in the eastern state of Bihar, Rajput quit his studies in engineering to pursue a career in acting and dance.
Sushant Singh Rajput performs (C) at the International Indian Film Academy Awards show at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. File / Reuters
He got his big break in Bollywood in 2013 with "Kai Po Che", a film about cricket, love and politics that won acclaim at the Berlin film festival.
His most recent films were comedy-drama "Chhichhore" and action movie "Drive", both released last year.
Sushant during a film shoot.
Rajput in 2016 told AFP of the emotional rollercoaster he went through filming the biopic of Indian cricket hero Dhoni, "M S Dhoni: The Untold Story," which included retelling the death of the ex-skipper's former girlfriend.
"It was very difficult because, after we did the preparation, in my head I was him and everything that was happening was actually affecting me," he said.