Actor Rituraj Singh of 'Banegi Apni Baat', 'Anupamaa' fame dies at 59

Mumbai: Noted actor Rituraj Singh, who first rose to fame in the 1993 TV show "Banegi Apni Baat" and went on to appear in a range of serials, films and OTT shows over the next three decades, passed away at his home early Tuesday following a cardiac arrest. He was 59.

"He had been hospitalised due to some stomach issues and was discharged a few days ago. He passed away around 12.30 am at his home due to a cardiac arrest,” close friend Amit Behl told PTI.

Singh, who started his career as a theatre actor in Delhi, is survived by his wife and two children.

Amongst his last appearances is the OTT show "Indian Police Force”, which was released just last month.

Singh's television roles include "Anupamaa", "Hitler Didi”, “Shapath”, “Adaalat” and “Diya Aur Baati Hum”. Besides, he appeared in supporting roles in Hindi films, including "Badrinath Ke Dulhania", and in OTT shows such as “Bandish Bandits” and “Made in Heaven”.

Actor Pallavi Joshi, who worked with Singh on the TV show “Meri Awaaz Hi Pehchaan Hai” and the short film “Painful Pride”, said she spoke to him very recently.

“I got the message (about his demise) last night at about 12.30... I haven’t still been able to wrap my head around it. He was in the hospital for a brief period and yesterday he was feeling unwell...,” Joshi told PTI.

Singh, who studied at Delhi University, was close friends with Shah Rukh Khan. They both were a part of Barry John’s Theatre Action Group (TAG).

Several pictures of Singh from his theatre days and just casually hanging out with Shah Rukh and others went viral on social media following the news of his death. The two appeared together in Pradip Krishen's "In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones" alongside Arundhati Roy who also wrote the film.

In an old interview with Indian Express, Singh spoke about how he became an actor at Shah Rukh's insistence.

"We were real thick buddies, and those were the best days of my life. I came to Mumbai to act at his insistence. He would come to Delhi and tell me, ‘What are you doing here? Come, let’s go to Mumbai. You’re such a good actor,” Singh had said.

While Shah Rukh went on to become one of the biggest superstars in the industry, Singh established himself as a go-to actor on the small screen.

Condolences poured in from former colleagues and industry people like Varun Dhawan, Arshad Warsi, Hansal Mehta and others.

Dhawan, who played Singh's son in "Badrinath...", mourned the actor's death in his Instagram stories.

"#rip Rituraj sir. Had such a wonderful time working with him and had just met him a few months back on the sets of Baby John. Om Shanti." Warsi said in Singh's death he lost a friend and a great actor.

"I am so saddened to know that Ritu Raj passed away. We lived in the same building, he was a part of my first film as a producer. Lost a friend and a great actor… will miss you, brother," he wrote on X.

Mehta was also shocked by the actor's death. “Rituraj!!!! Can’t believe this! I directed him briefly in a daily soap called K Street Pali Hill but in the process, we became good friends. Been a while since we hung out but I have such fond memories. Untapped actor and a warm human. Gone suddenly and too early," he wrote.

TV star Sneha Wagh, who worked with Singh on the TV show "Jyoti", said she had fond memories of working with the actor on the hit show 15 years ago. "I was very young and I remember he mentored us like we were little children. When we were on the sets his cheerful laughter changed the whole environment," Wagh told PTI.