From Balika Vadhu to Bigg Boss: Remembering Actor Sidharth Shukla

Bigg Boss 13 winner, actor Sidharth Shukla, passed away due to a heart attack.

Sidharth Shukla, who passed away on Thursday (2 September), was a model, actor, and host, who gained popularity after his breakout role in the Colors TV show Balika Vadhu. He became a household name after his stint on Bigg Boss, with his ever-expanding fan base supporting him throughout. Shukla was the centre of attention on the show, for various reasons, and also emerged as the winner of Bigg Boss 13.

Sidharth Shukla was born in Mumbai to a civil engineer Ashok Shukla and Rita Shukla. Shukla’s father passed away due to a lung disorder back when he was modelling. During a Bigg Boss episode, the actor had recalled a memory with his father.

“When I missed the bus, I began running and he also started doing the same, while carrying my school bag, I looked at him, with his hair flowing in the wind and thought ‘kya lagta hai ye admi, ye bhari bag leke full speed me mere se aage bhag raha hai’ (This man looks great, carrying that heavy bag and yet running ahead of me!) He is so strong.’”

Sidharth Shukla, Actor

He had added, “The people whose parents can live their life with them are lucky. When my dad passed away I was modelling. He used to carry my commercials in his pocket. Alag aadmi tha, will power alag hi tha (He was different, he had such great will power). Normally people live for two years (after diagnosis of lung disorders), but he lived for seven years. He did not see me achieving all this.”

In a video on Instagram, the actor talked about his sheltered upbringing, informing his fans that he never takes a decision without consulting his mother and has had his sisters protecting him throughout his life.

Shukla attended St. Xavier’s High School in Mumbai and also has a bachelor’s degree in Interior Design. He also worked at an interior designing firm for a while before he got selected for a Pantaloons advertisement. He went on to defeat around 40 other participants from around the world to become the first Asian to win the ‘World’s Best Model’ title in 2005 at a modelling contest in Turkey.

In 2008, the charming actor stepped into the world of television with Babul Ka Aangann Chootey Na opposite Aastha Chaudhary. The show ended in 2009, and he appeared on Jaane Pehchaane Se… Ye Ajnabbi the same year. He also made appearances on shows like Aahat and CID.

In 2021, he was cast in his breakout role as District Collector Shivraj Shekhar in Balika Vadhu. He also starred on the show Dil Se Dil Tak with actors Rashami Desai and Jasmin Bhasin, as Parth Bhanushali, but he left the show in December 2017.

The star, who had already become popular in the TV industry, then made his Bollywood debut with the Alia Bhatt-starrer Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania. He also won the award for ‘Breakthrough Supporting Performance (Male)’ for the show at the 2015 Stardust Awards.

While he had his share of accolades as a model and an actor, Sidharth Shukla also has his fair share of experience with hosting. In 2014, he featured as the host of Savdhaan India, and went on to hot India’s Got Talent 6. Additionally, his stint of Bigg Boss isn’t his only experience with reality shows. He was a part of the dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, and also won the stunt reality show Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi.

After he won Bigg Boss 13, he also entered the house again as one of the ‘Toofani Seniors’ the next season alongside Hina Khan and Gauahar Khan. Shukla also features in the music video for ‘Bhula Dunga’ with Shehnaaz Gill. The two were very close and often attended gigs together after their exit from the Bigg Boss house. Shukla recently made his OTT debut with the show Broken But Beautiful as the character Agastya Rao.

Sidharth Shukla was voted as the Bigg Boss GOAT (Greatest of All Times) before the season 14 premiere.