Shatrughan Sinha on Sushant Singh Rajput: 'I identify with his struggle to make a place in the Hindi film industry without any godfather.'
Shatrughan Sinha still feels Sushant Singh Rajput's loss.
"It is the love of the people that keeps his death shrouded in mystery. People like to mystify the death of those they love when they die young, like Guru Dutt, Meena Kumari and Sridevi. Sushant's loss was a national tragedy," Shatrughan Sinha tells Subhash K Jha.
Sushant Singh Rajput would have turned 40 today, January 21.
Shatruji empathises with Sushant's struggle. "I identify with his struggle to make a place in the Hindi film industry without any godfather. When I came to Mumbai, I had no contacts and no clue as to how to go about it. I just had a few hundreds in my pocket and endless josh. I saw the same josh in Sushant. The films he did are a legacy hard to ignore."
The senior actor's advice for outsiders in Bollywood: "Don't compromise, don't give up. Keep working hard. But give yourself a timeline. If things don't work out in four-five years, go home and reset your dream."
What happened to Sushant Singh Rajput?
Rising star Sushant Singh Rajput died by suicide in June 2020, at the age of 34. His death sparked a raging controversy, leading to the arrest of his then girlfriend, Rhea Chakraborty. She was released 28 days later, as there was no evidence against her.
Sushant started his career as a television actor, and went on to have a successful film career as well, with hits like Kai Po Che, MS Dhoni: The Untold Story, PK and Chhichhore to his credit.
Key points
- Sushant Singh Rajput's 40th birth anniversary is on January 21.
- It has been six years since he died by suicide in June 2020.
- Shatrughan Sinha feels people like to mystify the death of those they love when they die young.
Photograph curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff
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