As grief and anger mounts in support of Sushant Singh Rajput and Bollywood stands divided, Maharashtra’s Home Minister ordered a probe into his death. A report by Bonani, exclusively for Different Truths.

Professional rivalry pushed Sushant Singh Rajput to commit suicide by hanging at his Bandra home, in Mumbai, on Sunday (June 14). He was cremated on Monday (June 15). Home Minister of Maharashtra, Anil Deshmukh, said that the cause of his death shall be probed, as widespread outpourings of grief, anger and support for the actor mounts. Bollywood fraternity is divided. His death seems mysterious as no suicide note was found in his apartment.

Home Minister of Maharashtra, Anil Deshmukh, said that the cause of his death shall be probed, as widespread outpourings of grief, anger and support for the actor mounts. Bollywood fraternity is divided. His death seems mysterious as no suicide note was found in his apartment.

A bright, young, shining SSR appeared like a shooting star on Bollywood’s horizons and disappeared as suddenly. His tragic death raised questions, sharpening the debate between talent and nepotism into the movie business, as it opened a can of worms. Netizens have kept the tweet abuzz for two days.

Nurturing dreams of celebrityhood and making it big in tinsel town, Sushant, only 34, a skilled and promising actor showed signs of great talent. He met his tragic end plunging Bollywood and the entire nation into gloom. Another victim of the dreaded malaise, he reportedly suffered clinical depression. Mumbai police said that they didn’t suspect any foul play in his death.

An intellectual in the world of glitz and glamour, cutthroat nepotism, underhand dealings, murky politics and pulling of strings, SSR was an outsider. 

An intellectual in the world of glitz and glamour, cutthroat nepotism, underhand dealings, murky politics and pulling of strings, SSR was an outsider.

With his acting prowess, a combination of brawns and brains, Sushant was an intellectual, who chose a career in acting. He was a winner of the Physics Olympiad title, a bright engineering student, and other such accolades. His Instagram account overflowed with interesting ideas and discussions.

A newcomer armed with nothing but his dedication towards his work, and his naivete, he was reportedly isolated and discriminated against by the sharks. Against all odds, he managed to carve out quite a niche for himself with no godfather. Graduating from TV to movies, which became box-office hits and sent the coffers jingling. Kai Po Che, Dhoni, Shudh Desi Romance, Chichore, P.K., et al zoomed their way up the rating charts. He became a rage and a teenage heartthrob overnight. SSR had arrived.

SSR’s meteoric rise was short-lived. Having signed a contract with Yash Raj Films (YRF), he had a spat with directors under the YRF banner, who allegedly went back on the rules of contract and refused to cast him in lead roles both in Ram Leela and Befikre. He was replaced by Ranveer Singh. Another director Bhansali intervened and tried to reinstate him but to no avail.

SSR’s meteoric rise was short-lived. Having signed a contract with Yash Raj Films (YRF), he had a spat with directors under the YRF banner, who allegedly went back on the rules of contract and refused to cast him in lead roles both in Ram Leela and Befikre. He was replaced by Ranveer Singh. Another director Bhansali intervened and tried to reinstate him but to no avail. As a pacifier, SSR was given a nondescript film, Paani, which did not see the light of day.

He was given pathetic films streaming on Netflix and offered roles on TV, according to sources. This led to a big fall out between SSR and theYRF banner and a clique was formed against him, it was alleged. He supposedly begged his followers to watch Son Chiriya or else he would be out on the streets. Hence with hardly any movie on hand, financially distressed and shunned by the Bollywood fraternity, the tormented young actor fell prey to the tyrannical witch-hunting and the diabolical rules of the games that the Bollywood honchos play. SSR found his whole world in shambles and all his dreams were shattered in one cruel masterstroke, it was reportedly stated.

It’s sad and shameful that there has been a spate of such incidents in the tinsel town. Performance pressure, discrimination and nepotism that trigger mental health issues need serious attention. Perhaps it takes an incident of this magnitude to sit up and take notice.

It’s sad and shameful that there has been a spate of such incidents in the tinsel town. Performance pressure, discrimination and nepotism that trigger mental health issues need serious attention. Perhaps it takes an incident of this magnitude to sit up and take notice.

Its time for us to start looking around us and be alert and discerning enough to detect telltale signs in any person who might be battling depression. They need love, care and a sense of belonging. It’s necessary to talk it out and win their confidence. These lonely, depressed souls, most of the time, fail to realise their shortcomings.

Sadly, SSR was a misfit for the sinister, malevolent underbelly of Bollywood, the second largest film industry of the world churning out films by the dozens. It’s supposedly a melting pot for talent and skill as a yardstick for success, not a guillotine for the starry-eyed youth trying to make it big in tinsel town.

Sadly, SSR was a misfit for the sinister, malevolent underbelly of Bollywood, the second largest film industry of the world churning out films by the dozens. It’s supposedly a melting pot for talent and skill as a yardstick for success, not a guillotine for the starry-eyed youth trying to make it big in tinsel town. The ruthless cine world often tears dreams to smithereens. It’s a dark dark world behind the glaring lights that blind, allure, entice and trap many aspiring actors.

Photo from the Internet