Sushant Singh Rajput, a Bollywood actor who jumped from TV to the big screen and starred in the Netflix action film “Drive,” died Sunday at age 34.
Rajput was found dead in his Mumbai home; local media report that according to police, his cause of death was an apparent suicide by hanging.
Born in 1986, Rajput began his acting career on television in the 2008 drama “Kis Desh Mein Hai Meraa Dil” (“In Which Country Does My Heart Live”). After stints on successful shows like the soap opera “Pavitra Rishta,” Rajput made the jump to film in 2013 beginning with the buddy film “Kai Po Che!” and the romantic comedy “Shuddh Desi Romance.”
What followed was a series of successful films in which he had both starring and supporting roles, among them the 2014 film “PK,” the fifth highest grossing Indian film of all time, 2016’s “M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story,” a hit biopic about cricket legend Mahendra Singh Dhoni, and the disaster-romance film “Kedarnath” in 2019.
Rajput’s other credits include the hit mystery/action film “Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!” (2015), the comedy “Welcome to New York” (2018), the action film “Sonchiriya” and the dramedy “Chhichhore” (both in 2019), among others. His final film, “Dil Bechara,” an adaptaion of the 2014 Hollywood hit “The Fault in Our Stars,” is due to be released later this year.
In addition to his film career, Rajput was an active philanthropist who supported the youth literacy group Sushant4Education and helping to promote the Indian government’s Women Entrepreneurship Platform. Rajput also founded the tech-oriented company Innsaei Ventures in 2018.
Among his acting honors, he won Best Actor in 2017 at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, Best Actor (Critics) at the 2017 Screen Awards, Best Male Debut at the 2014 Screen Awards, and Best Actor in a Lead Role at the Boroplus Gold Awards in 2010 and 2011.
India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, paid tribute to Rajput on Twitter Sunday.
Sushant Singh Rajput…a bright young actor gone too soon. He excelled on TV and in films. His rise in the world of entertainment inspired many and he leaves behind several memorable performances. Shocked by his passing away. My thoughts are with his family and fans. Om Shanti.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 14, 2020