From TV to films to reality shows, model-turned-actor Sidharth Shukla emerged as a national heartthrob over the years. Sidharth's sudden death, at the age of just 40, has been heartbreaking for fans and fellow actors in the industry.
Here's a look at some of the actor's memorable performances.
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Balika Vadhu
Sidharth started his television journey with a TV serial called 'Babul ka Aangann Chootey Na', but his break break came with 'Balika Vadhu', a show that made him a household name. Sidharth played the role of District Collector Shivraj Shekhar, who marries the lead character Anandi, after she separates from her first husband. Sidharth won the 'Male Performer of the Year' award at the Indian Television Academy (ITA) Awards for his performance on the show. He left the show in 2015, when his character, Shiv, died fighting with terrorists.
Humpty Sharma ki Dulhania
Sidharth Shukla made his Bollywood debut with Alia Bhatt-Varun Dhawan starrer, 'Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania'. He was cast in a supporting role as Angad Bedi, an NRI doctor, who was Alia's fiancé in the successful 2013 film. The film earned him an award for "Breakthrough Supporting Performance (Male)” in the 2015 Stardust Awards.
Dil Se Dil Tak
In 2017, Sidharth appeared as Parth Bhanushali, the lead character in 'Dil Se Dil Tak' with co-stars Rashami Desai and Jasmin Bhasin. The series was inspired by the Bollywood film, 'Chori Chori Chupke Chupke' and was a TRP magnet. The show gained early popularity because of Sidharth Shukla and Rashami Desai’s onscreen chemistry. He left the series in December 2017 after allegedly having a disagreement with co-stars and producers.
Bigg Boss 13
After years of TV soaps, Sidharth Shukla shifted gears, to get into reality TV and participated in Bigg Boss 13. One of the most controversial candidates on the reality show, Shukla was the strongest contender for the trophy since week 1. Sidharth was rated the most popular contestant of Bigg Boss 13, ranking him number one throughout the 20 weeks of the show. Sidharth went on to win Bigg Boss 13 eventually, bagging a prize money of Rs 40 lakh. His chemistry with co-contestant Shehnaaz Gill was loved by fans and together they were given the name 'SidNaaz', which is still one of the most trending hashtags on social media.
After Bigg Boss 13, he also participated in other reality shows such as Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa Season 6, India’s Got Talent as a host, and Khatron Ke Khiladi 7, which he won.
Broken But Beautiful 3
Sidharth Shukla made his digital debut, with With Ekta Kapoor's OTT show 'Broken but Beautiful 3'. He played Agastya Rao, a struggling theatre writer-director with an ego problem. But it was his on-screen chemistry with feisty Rumi Desai, played by Sonia Rathee, which won him critical acclaim for the show. 'Broken But Beautiful Season 3' set a benchmark by gone on to rank 40 in the IMDb list.
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