Actor-comedian Raju Srivastava dies at 58

Actor-comedian Raju Srivastava has died due to a heart ailment he was under treatment for over a month. He was 58. He was admitted at the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) in New Delhi on 10 August after he complained of chest pain and collapsed while working out at his gym. 

The news was shared by the news agency Asian News International (ANI) on Twitter. “Comedian Raju Srivastava passes away in Delhi at the age of 58, confirms his family. He was admitted to AIIMS Delhi on August 10 after experiencing chest pain and collapsing while working out at the gym,” the agency stated.

Born on 25 December 1963 in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, Srivastava started off by playing small character roles in Hindi films, making his debut in the iconic romance Maine Pyar Kiya (1989). He was later seen in Baazigar (1993) and other fllms like Aamdani Atthani Kharcha Rupaiya (2001), Waah! Tera Kya Kehna (2002), and Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon (2003).

But Srivastava gained fame through the comedy television show The Great Indian Laughter Challenge in 2005. He followed it up with more comic reality shows like Comedy Circus Ke Superstars (2010), Comedy Circus Ka Naya Daur (2011), and The Kapil Sharma Show (2017).

The last movie he was acted in was Money Back Guarantee (2016), which was directed by his fellow comedian Sunil Pal. 

Union minister Piyush Goyal has extended his condolences on Srivastava’s passing away.