On Thursday, the popular television and film actor Sidharth Shukla, best known for his role in the long-running TV show Balika Vadhu, passed away after a massive heart attack.
The news of the 40-year-old, who also won the reality show Bigg Boss 13, passing away has left everyone in shock. As we mourn his loss, here’s a quick look at other celebrities who we lost too early — in their 40s.
Chadwick Boseman: The actor, best known for his role as Black Panther, died at the age of 43 in 2020 from colon cancer. He never spoke about his illness publicly and it was later learnt that he continued to work and completed several films, including Marshall, Da 5 Bloods and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, which earned him a Scree Actors Guild Award.
Rituparno Ghosh: The director, producer, writer and actor, was considered a doyen in the Bengali film world. One among the most acclaimed film directors of the country, the National Award winner died an early death at the age of 49 following a massive heart attack on 30 May 2013.
Paul Walker: Known best as the star of the Fast & Furious movie series, the actor suffered a tragic end when he died in a car crash in 2013 at the age of 40.
Sanjeev Kumar: A National Award winner, the versatile actor was another Bollywood actor who died young. A class apart from the other actors, Kumar portrayed diverse roles in as many diverse genres with elan. Kumar worked for 25 long years in the industry and died a 48-year-old man after suffering a massive heart attack in 1985.
Elvis Presley: The king of ‘rock ‘n’ roll and a movie star in his own right, Elvis died at 42 of a heart attack decades ago, but he remains a larger-than-life icon.
Inder Kumar: He might have played supporting roles in Bollywood films but Inder Kumar was a popular actor, who unfortunately died young. In a career lasting a little over two decades, Kumar saw quite some ups and downs. He died of a cardiac arrest at the age of 43 in 2017.
Freddie Mercury: As the lead singer for Queen, he was bombastic, with a four-octave range that swept from a low growl to soaring heights. As a performer he was almost godlike, packing stadiums and delighting audiences with his theatrical antics and fantastic music. Mercury died at 45 of AIDS-related pneumonia in 1991.
Alexander McQueen: The British fashion designer was known for his dramatic creations and impeccable tailoring. He died by suicide at 40 in 2010, leaving the fashion world in shock.
Chester Bennington: The lead singer of rock group Linkin Park was just 41 when he died by suicide in July 2017. The band’s song One More Light, about the death of a friend, was released after Bennington’s death.
Vinod Mehra: Debuting in Bollywood as a child artist, Vinod Mehra passed away at the age of 45 from a heart attack. Mehra was also a producer and a director and worked in Bollywood for close to two decades.
Steve Irwin: The conservationist gained international fame through his television series The Crocodile Hunter. The son of a wildlife expert father and a wildlife rehabilitator mother, Irwin grew up around crocs in his family’s Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park. He died at 44 in 2006 after a stingray barb punctured his chest.
With inputs from agencies
