Sidharth Shukla died at 40: A look at the life and career of Balika Vadhu and Bigg Boss 13 fame actor

Sidharth Shukla Death: TV Actor and host Sidharth Shukla passed away on 2 September 2021 at the age of 40 due to cardiac arrest. His death was confirmed by Cooper Hospital.

Arfa Javaid Updated: Sep 13, 2021 17:30 IST

Sidharth Shukla Biography: Death, Age, Career and More

Balika Vadhu and Bigg Boss 13 fame actor Sidharth Shukla died on 2 September 2021 at the age of 40 due to cardiac arrest. He is survived by his mother and two sisters.

After suffering a massive heart attack in the morning, he was rushed to Cooper Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.

"He was brought dead to the hospital some time ago," a senior Cooper Hospital official told PTI.

Hindustan Times quoted a senior doctor from the forensic department as saying, "Initial report indicates that he died of a heart attack. We, however, won't be able to confirm the cause of his death until we complete the post mortem."

A team of three doctors was formed for the post-mortem, which was recorded on video. The actor's autopsy was completed last night at a Mumbai hospital and no injuries were found, as reported by NDTV.

Celebrities have started to arrive at Sidharth Shukla's residence to bid adieu to the late actor. His mortal remains are likely to be taken straight to the Oshiwara crematorium.

Sidharth Shukla made his acting debut with the TV show Babul Ka Aangann Chootey Na in 2008 but is best known for his roles in Balika Badhu, Dil Se Dil Tak, and Broken But Beautiful 3. He also appeared in various reality shows and went on winning Bigg Boss 13 and Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi 7.

Sidharth Shukla Death: Here's how Twitter mourn his sudden demise

Sidharth Shukla as Shivraj Shekhar in Balika Badhu

Sidharth Shukla rose to fame in 2012 after appearing in Balika Vadhu as Shivraj Shekhar opposite Pratyusha Banerjee and Toral Rasputra. His character died fighting with terrorists in 2015. The show earned him the "GR8! Performer of the Year (Male)" award at the Indian Television Academy (ITA) Awards, along with other awards and nominations.

Sidharth Shukla in Big Boss 13

Sidharth Shukla participated in various reality shows and went on to win Bigg Boss 13 in 2020. He was rated to be the most popular contestant of Bigg Boss 13 by Ormax media, ranking as number one throughout 20 weeks.

He was also voted as the most favorite contestant of Bigg Boss 13 in polls conducted by Hindustan Times, India TV News, and The Times of India.

In addition to the above, he was the most tweeted contestant of Bigg Boss 13 and bagged the Bigg Boss #AsliFans (Asli Fans) contest on Twitter conducted by Voot. Hashtag #SidharthKeAsliFans garnered the highest number of tweets among all the contestants of Bigg Boss 13.

In 2020, he entered Bigg Boss 14 for two weeks as one of the "Toofani" Seniors, along with Hina Khan and Gauahar Khan. In January 2021, he hosted the 16th week's "Weekend Ka Vaar" of Bigg Boss 14, filling in for Salman Khan who was away from the show due to other work commitments.

Sidharth Shukla in Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi 7

In 2016, Sidharth Shukla won the TV reality show Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi 7 and walked away with Rs. 25 lakh prize money along with a new Tata Tiago car. During the show, he displayed tremendous mental and physical strength and remained on the top spot.

“Khatron Ke Khiladi was an experiment for me to fight situations that could have had the slightest potential to scare me. As I take this trophy home, my mission is accomplished. I am glad that I managed to strive through it all – injuries, quarrels, and stunts involving a combination of speed, thrill, and creepy crawlies," said Shukla after winning the show.

Sidharth Shukla: Birth and Education

Born on 12 December 1980 into a Hindu Brahmin family in Bombay (present-day Mumbai), Sidharth Shukla attended St. Xavier's High School, Fort, Mumbai. He was a very athletic child and represented his school in tennis and football.

Shukla holds a bachelor's degree in Interior Design from Rachana Sansad School of Interior Design. His father, Ashok Shukla, served at the Reserve Bank of India as a civil engineer while his mother was a homemaker. During his modeling days, Shukla lost his father due to a lung disorder.

Sidharth Shukla: Modelling Career

After graduating, Shukla worked at an interior designing firm for a couple of years before making his way into modeling. He was the runner-up in the Gladrags Manhunt and Mega model Contest. He represented India at the World's Best Model contest held in Turkey in 2005 and became the first Asian to win the coveted title beating 40 contestants from across Asia, Latin America, and Europe.

Sidharth Shukla: TV Career

Sidharth Shukla made his acting debut in 2008 with a lead role in the television show Babul Ka Aangann Chootey Na opposite Aastha Chaudhary. The show which was aired on Sony TV ended in February 2009.

In 2009, he appeared in Jaane Pehchaane Se... Ye Ajnabbi opposite Sanjeeda Sheikh and Aditi Tailang. The show which was aired on Star One ended in September 2010.

In 2011, he appeared in Love U Zindagi opposite Pavitra Punia on StarPlus. The show was inspired by the Bollywood movie Jab We Met.

Shukla rose to fame in 2012 after appearing in Balika Vadhu opposite Pratyusha Banerjee and Toral Rasputra. The show earned him the "GR8! Performer of the Year (Male)" award at the Indian Television Academy (ITA) Awards.

Sidharth Shukla: Bollywood Career

Shukla made his Bollywood debut in 2014 with romantic comedy Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania in a supporting role. He played the character of Angad Bedi, an NRI doctor, and the fiance of the female protagonist played by Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt. The film earned him an award for "Breakthrough Supporting Performance (Male)" in the 2015 Stardust Awards.

Sidharth Shukla: Participation in Reality Shows

Sidharth Shukla appeared on several reality shows such as Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa Season 6, India’s Got Talent, Khatron Ke Khiladi 7, Bigg Boss 13, as well as Bigg Boss 14. Of these, he won Khatron Ke Khiladi 7 and Bigg Boss 13.

Sidharth Shukla: OTT Debut

He made his OTT debut with the third season of the romance web series Broken But Beautiful streamed on ALTBalaji & MX Player. He was cast opposite Sonia Rathee as Agastya Rao and earned positive responses from critics.

Apart from dabbling in movies, web series, and TV shows of various formats, Sidharth Shukla appeared in several music videos such as Resham Ka Rumal, Bhula Dunga, Dil Ko Karaar Aaya, and Shona Shona. He also appeared in advertisements for Bajaj Avenger, ICICI, and Digjam Ltd.