Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput was cremated at the Pawan Hans crematorium in Mumbai on Monday in the presence of family members and close friends from the film and TV industry. Sushant was found hanging in his Bandra apartment on Sunday. He was 34. The actor's body reached the crematorium in Vile Parle from Cooper Hospital around 4.15 pm.
Though it poured heavily, friends joined the actor's final journey. Casting director Mukesh Chhabra, who helmed Rajput's upcoming "Dil Bechara", was among the first ones to arrive at the venue along with actor Kriti Sanon. Sanon worked with Rajput in 2017's "Raabta". Sushant's friend Rhea Chakraborty also attended the cremation after visiting the hospital. The actor's "Chhichhore" co-stars Shraddha Kapoor and Varun Sharma, along with filmmaker Abhishek Kapoor, who directed him in his big screen debut "Kai Po Che!" and "Kedarnath", were also present. They were joined by others from the film fraternity, including producer Ekta Kapoor, actors Vivek Oberoi, Randeep Hooda, Prateik Babbar and singer Udit Narayan. According to a source, only close family members and select friends from the industry were allowed to go inside the crematorium in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Sushant found hanging
Sushant was found hanging at his Mumbai residence on Sunday. Sushant, who made the storybook transition from Patna boy to television and then the starry lights of the Hindi film industry, was the youngest of five siblings and is survived by his father and four sisters. "His body was found hanging at his Bandra residence. We are investigating," said Manoj Sharma, additional commissioner of police, Western Region. An accidental death report will be registered on the basis of preliminary information, sources from the Bandra Police said. No note was found from the spot, they said.
Police sources also said they did not find any foul play in their initial investigation. A medical report about the cause of death is awaited, the police said. Sushant's last screen appearance was Nitesh Tiwari's 2019 film "Chhichhore", where he played the role of a father who conveys a message of hope and affirmation to his son who has attempted to kill himself.
Last Insta post was dedicated to mom
Sushant’s last social media post, dedicated to his late mother who died in 2002 when he was a young teen, was on June 3. "Blurred past evaporating from teardrops. Unending dreams carving an arc of smile. And a fleeting life, negotiating between the two," he wrote on Instagram, with a black and white photograph of his mother.
Sushant's sudden death comes days after his former manager, 28-year-old Disha Salian, ended her life by jumping from a high rise building on June 9. "It's such devastating news. My deepest condolences to Disha's family and friends. May your soul rest in peace," he had said, mourning her death.
As news of the tragic death spread and condolences poured in, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described him as 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," the prime minister said on Twitter.
Engineering student
An engineering student, Sushant left his course at the Delhi Technological University (then Delhi College of Engineering) in the early 2000s to enroll in choreographer Shiamak Davar's dance classes and later joined acting guru Barry John's classes. He also performed as a background dancer in the song "Dhoom again" with Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in the 2006 film "Dhoom 2".
But it was the small screen that gave the "outsider" his breakout role as the mild-mannered Manav in the Ekta Kapoor-produced soap opera 'Pavitra Rishtaâ' in 2009. He left the show in 2011and two years later made his film debut with 'Kai Po Che!'.
What drove Rajput to suicide?
The the news of Sushant's suicide sent shockwaves across India. The fact that one so young and so seemingly successful could have been struggling with such serious mental demons indeed painted a tragic scenario. However, within the film industry, most were aware of Sushant’s deteriorating mental health. He had been going through severe personal and professional travails in the last couple of years. The news of his erratic, reckless behaviour was making regular splashes in the gossip columns. Many of Sushant’s staff members had reportedly left him due to his temper tantrums. It was apparent to almost everybody in his social and professional circles that he was in need of help, but no one made an attempt to sit down with Sushant and tried to clear cobwebs from his head.
There is also little doubt that there was a sustained, systematic campaign within the industry in the last couple of years to isolate Sushant. He had rubbed a couple of big production houses the wrong way and had had altercations with a few fellow actors. Such clashes of interest and egos are par for the course in the cut-throat industry, but since Sushant was an outsider - and because he didn't have the solid backing of any powerful Godfather or a lobby - he became an easy target.
Hardly had any movies
Despite giving moderate hits regularly, he hardly had any big movies in his kitty. He was relentlessly humiliated, snubbed and isolated within the industry despite proving his acting finesse and Box Office sustainability. Stories about his arrogance, abrasiveness and debauched lifestyle were selectively leaked to the media to tarnish his profesional and public reputation. The underlying objective was to create such a monstrous perception about him that prominent producers and directors hesitate in working with him.
In Bollywood, it isn't just about box-office battles, but also about public image as well. Burnishing your public reputation and chipping away at rivals' image isn't uncommon. Sushant was made to believe he was unwanted, unprofessional and unsuccessful.
What’s to blame?
Sapna Bhavani, the famous hairstylist, minced no words when she said everyone in the industry knew Sushant was going through very tough times, but no one stood up for him or lent him a helping hand.
An all-friendly, top producer-director bemoaned that he regretted he didn't stay in touch with Sushant for over a year, despite knowing the actor needed people around him. This is the same person who spearheaded the industry smear campaign against Sushant. He and his proteges privately, and sometimes even publicly, spoke of Sushant in the most unflattering terms. Hence this bigwig's apology and the confession - "it's a huge wake up call for me" - ring hollow.
At a time when a talented outsider deserved empathy, help and care, he only got spiteful jeers and jibes from his privileged colleagues. And that, perhaps, was what killed him.
Stigma about mental health depressing, say experts
India’s mental health statistics have a severely depressing ring to them. The National Crime Records Bureau’s reports stated that over 300 Indians commit suicide daily and the National Mental Health Survey 2015-16 showed that 15% of Indians have some mental health issue and at least one in every 20 Indians either suffers or has suffered from depression. Yet there is no ‘active’ suicide prevention strategy or programme. “States that have some suicide prevention strategy haven’t bothered to implement it,” said Pune-based psychiatrist Dr Soumitra Pathare.
The biggest problem in India, even in Mumbai, is the stigmatisation of those seeking mental health. “The stigma about mental health may have come down to some extent in the last few years, but there is still enough of negativity associated with psychiatry to stop people from seeking help,” said Dr Bharat Shah from Lilavati Hospital, Bandra. Patients with depression or suicidal ideation need long-term help, but many drop out.
“After every celebrity suicide, there is an effort to create awareness about mental health or the need to seek help, but the efforts haven’t been able to reduce the stigma associated with reaching out to a psychiatrist,” said Dr Nilesh Shah, who heads the psychiatry department of Sion Hospital.
