Sidharth Shukla, a popular Indian TV and film actor, has died at the age of 40.

Advertisement

The actor, best known for winning season 13 of Bigg Boss (a Big Brother spin-off), was taken to a Mumbai hospital on Thursday.

It's believed he died from a heart attack, according to an official at the Cooper Hospital in Mumbai (as reported by the Hindustan Times).

Tributes have poured in for the popular actor, with his colleagues across the film and TV industry sharing their thoughts on the news.

One posted:

Another shared:

A third commented:

Shukla made his acting debut in 2008, when he starred in Babul Ka Aangann Chootey Na.

He would go on to have roles in Jaane Pehchaane Se... Ye Ajnabbi, Aahat, and Love U Zindagi.

But it was his role in Balika Vadhu which catapulted Shukla to fame, even earning him some awards and nominations at the ITA Awards (Indian Television Academy Awards).

He made his Bollywood debut in rom-com Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, where he took a supporting role of Angad Bedi - he won "Breakthrough Supporting Performance (Male)" in the 2015 Stardust Awards for the part.

In February 2020, Shukla won Bigg Boss 13, a spin-off from popular reality series, Big Brother.

He was one of the most popular contestants to ever appear on the show, and was consistently voted as the public's favourite contestant each week.

Shukla's fame continued to soar, and straight after Bigg Boss, appeared in several music videos - and even made a surprise appearance in Bigg Boss 14 as a Senior. Again, he was voted as the public's favourite contestant.

Advertisement

Shukla is survived by his mother and two sisters.

Authors

Helen Daly
Helen DalyAssociate Editor

Helen Daly is the Associate Editor for Radio Times, overseeing new initiatives and commercial projects for the brand. She was previously Deputy TV Editor at a national publication. She has a BA in English Literature and an MA in Media & Journalism from Newcastle University.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement