Satyaprakash Srivastav, popularly known as Raju Srivastav, is no longer with us. His family members confirmed that he passed away in AIIMS Delhi at the age of 58.
The popular Indian comedian, actor and TV presenter always lived a larger-than-life image and will be remembered for his comic scenes. Raju Srivastav started his career with small bits in Bollywood movies which mostly went unnoticed.
But his appearance on reality TV shows later, including the most famous - The Great Indian Laughter Challenge, made him a star in every household.
While Srivastav gained a modicum of recognition through his Amitabh Bachchan impressions, he played small roles in hits like Baazigar, Maine Pyar Kiya, and Qatil. Srivastav’s work led to slightly longer screen time in his future work, like Aamdani Atthanni Kharcha Rupaiya and as Durandhar Singh in Shaktiman.
Born in Kanpur on December 25, 1963, Srivastav was raised in a middle-class Kanpur family. His father was a noted Hindi poet Ramesh Chandra Srivastava. Skilled at mimicry and impersonations, Srivastav dreamed of being a comic from a young age.
But found countrywide recognition nearly 20 years later after he participated in The Great Indian Laughter Challenge. While Srivastav did well, he ended up as the second runner-up behind fellow comedian Sunil Pal and Ahsaan Qureshi. His fellow participants also included comics Naveen Prabhakar and the current Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann.
Later on, he went on to participate in many TV reality shows like Bigg Boss Season 3, Comedy Ka Maha Muqabala, Nach Baliye Season 6, and Mazaak Mazaak Mein. He also appeared on Kapil Sharma’s Comedy Nights with Kapil.
The comic also continued with his acting career. “Acting has always attracted me, and I have got ample opportunities to perform as an actor too,” Srivastav had told The Economic Times last year. “Even today, I get offers to act, and I happily take them,” he added.
Raju Srivastav later tried his hands in politics by joining Mulayam Singh Yadav's Samajwadi Party. Later, he decided to move to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2014. He was made one of the brand ambassadors of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and has shot various commercials and PSAs for the campaign.
The comedian suffered a major heart attack and brain damage on August 10 while working out in a Delhi gym.
First Published: Sept 21, 2022 11:17 AM IST
