On Thursday, Bollywood was stunned by the death of actor Nirmal Pandey, who shot to fame as Vikram Mallah in Bandit Queen. He passed away following a massive heart attack. He was 48. Here's a look at some other celebrities whose lives were tragically cut short by disease, accident, by their own hand or those of others.
Alexander Mcqueen (March 16, 1969 - February 11, 2010): The fashion world lost one of its most brilliant designers recently. Alexander Mcqueen left his fans in a state of shock by commiting suicide on the eve of the funeral of his mother, Joyce, a constant presence at all his shows. He had earlier hinted at suicide through messages posted on the micro blogging website Twitter after the death of his mother two weeks ago.
Nafisa Joseph (March 28, 1979 - July 29, 2004): Model and MTV video jockey Joseph hanged herself in her flat in Mumbai on 29 July 2004. She was to marry businessman Gautam Khanduja in a few weeks' time. According to her parents, Joseph took the step because her marriage was called off. This was due to Joseph having discovered that Khanduja was still married, although having told her he had been divorced for two years.
Kuljeet Randhawa (January 1, 1976 - February 8, 2006): The actress and model was best known for her role in the Kohinoor-series. Randhawa also appeared in several television series including Hip Hip Hurray, C.A.T.S., and a lead role in STAR One's Special Squad. On February 8, 2006, Randhawa hanged herself at her apartment in Mumbai. In a suicide note, Kuljeet stated that she was ending her life as she was unable to cope with life's pressures
Divya Bharti (February 25, 1974 - April 5, 1993): She started her career in 1990 with Telugu films making her debut in Bobbili Raja. After several other hits in the South, she entered Hindi films with Vishwatma in 1992. Around midnight on April 5, 1993, Divya fell to her death off her husband Sajid Nadiadwala's 5-storey apartment building, Tulsi 2 in Mumbai. There were numerous speculations regarding Divya's sudden demise, including the possibility of accidental death, suicide and even murder. Police closed the investigation into her death in 1998, but the circumstances of her death still remain murky
Ishmeet Singh Sodhi (September 2, 1988 - July 29, 2008): In July 2008, Singh, winner of Amul STAR Voice of India 2007, went on a visit to the Maldives with fellow contestants Sumitra and Vyom for a concert that was to be held on August 1, 2008. He died on July 29, 2008, drowning in the swimming pool of the Chaaya Island Dhonveli resort in Male where he was staying. Ishmeet's family suspect that he has been murdered and have listed the reasons why on the Ishmeet Singh Foundation website.
Smita Patil (October 17, 1955 - December 13, 1986): Along with actress and co-star Shabana Azmi, she was one of the potent quartet representing India's parallel cinema. Her performances were often acclaimed, and she was mostly noted for her work in such art films as Manthan (1977), Bhumika (1977), Aakrosh (1980) and Chakra (1981). Smita died from childbirth complications on December 13, 1986, aged 31, barely 6 hours after having given birth to her son, Prateek Babbar. Nearly two decades later, one of India's greatest film directors, Mrinal Sen alleged that Smita Patil had died due to gross medical negligence.
Guru Dutt (July 9, 1925 - October 10, 1964): Often credited with ushering in the golden era of Hindi cinema, Dutt made quintessential 1950s and 1960s classics such as Pyaasa, Kaagaz Ke Phool, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam and Chaudhvin Ka Chand. On October 10, 1964, he was found dead in his bed in his rented apartment at Pedder Road in Mumbai. He is said to have been mixing alcohol and sleeping pills. His death may have been suicide, or just an accidental overdose. It would have been his third suicide attempt.
Madhubala (February 14, 1933 - February 23, 1969): In the short time that she graced the silver screen in India, Madhubala achieved the kind of iconic status that many actors can only dream of. She was found to have a heart problem after she coughed up blood in 1950. She was discovered to have been born with a ventricular septal defect, commonly known as a 'hole in the heart'. At the time, heart surgery was not widely available. In 1960, Madhubala sought treatment in London as her condition deteriorated. After an examination the doctors there refused to operate, convinced her chances of surviving the procedure were minimal. Madhubala finally succumbed to her illness and died on February 23, 1969, shortly after her 36th birthday.
Meena Kumari (August 1, 1932 - March 31, 1972): She gained a reputation for tragic roles in films like Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, Baiju Bawra, Dil Ek Mandir and Dil Apna Aur Preet Parayi. After divorcing her husband Kamal Amrohi in 1964, her addiction to alcohol became stronger, and she often dulled her senses with liquor. Kumari's heavy drinking had badly damaged her liver, and in 1968 she fell seriously ill. She was taken to London and Switzerland for treatment. Three weeks after the release of Pakeezah, Meena Kumari became seriously ill, and died on March 31, 1972 of cirrhosis of the liver.
Nargis (June 1, 1929 - May 3, 1981): She is widely regarded as one of the greatest actresses in the history of Hindi cinema and remembered for her performances in films like Mother India, Barsaat, Andaz, Awaara, Shree 420 and Chori Chori. Nargis was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and underwent treatment for the disease at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. Upon her return to India, her condition deteriorated, and she was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai. She sank into a coma on May 2, 1981 and died on May 3, 1981.
Gulshan Kumar (May 5, 1956 - August 12, 1997): 'Cassette King' Gulshan Kumar, the founder of the T-Series music label (Super Cassettes Industries Ltd.), was killed outside the Jeeteshwar Mahadev Mandir, a Hindu temple in Jeet Nagar, Andheri West suburb of Mumbai on August 12, 1997. The police accused Nadeem of the music duo Nadeem-Shravan of having paid for the assassination. However, on January 9, 2001, Abdul Rauf (known as 'Raja') confessed to being the assassin. Rauf was sentenced to life imprisonment for the crime.
Priya Rajvansh (1937 - March 27, 2000): Priya Rajvansh did only a handful of films during her career, among them Heer Ranjha (1970) and Hanste Zakhm (1973). Rajvansh and filmmaker Chetan Anand had a personal relationship and lived-in. After Anand's death in 1997, she inherited a part of his property along with his sons from his first marriage. She was murdered on March 27, 2000 in Anand's Ruia Park bungalow in Juhu, Mumbai. Police charged Anand's sons Ketan Anand and Vivek Anand along with their employees Mala Choudhary and Ashok Chinnaswamy with her murder. The four accused were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in July 2002.
Parveen Babi (April 4, 1949 - January 20, 2005): Babi acted alongside top heroes of the 1970s and early 80s and is remembered for her glamorous roles in films like Deewar, Namak Halaal, Amar Akbar Anthony and Shaan. She was diabetic for most of her life - possibly due to the side-effects of powerful anti-psychotic medications. Babi was found dead in her Mumbai apartment on January 20, 2005 after her residential society secretary alerted the police that she had not collected milk and newspapers from her doorstep for two days. She was found to have gangrene of the foot as a complication of her diabetic condition. The police ruled out any foul play.
Silk Smitha (December 2, 1960 - September 23, 1996): The South Indian actress starred in over 200 Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada and a few Hindi films during her lifetime. Her dance numbers and her bold performances in films like Moondru Mugam have made her the ultimate symbol of sensuality in Tamil, Kannada. Malayalam and Telugu cinema. In 1996, Smitha was found dead in her Chennai apartment. Financial problems, a disillusionment in love and an alcohol dependency apparently led to depression. It is suspected that Smitha committed suicide.
Sanjeev Kumar (July 9, 1938 - November 6, 1985): One of the most talented Bollywood actors, Sanjeev Kumar made his debut in Hum Hindustani in 1960 and never looked back. His most memorable films include Aandhi, Mausam, Angoor, Namkeen, Shatranj Ke Khiladi, Sholay and Trishul. In 1985, when he was 47 years old, he died of a heart ailment. Ironically for an actor who played many elderly roles, he did not live to the age of 50
