Indian comedian-actor Raju Srivastava passes away at 58

Indian comedian-actor Raju Srivastava breathed his last on Wednesday. The 58-year-old artist is survived by his wife and two children.

Srivastava had been struggling with his health for a while before he passed away.

According to Pinkvilla, India’s beloved comedian was hospitalised for more than 15 days following a cardiac arrest episode in New Delhi on August 10. He collapsed after experiencing chest pain while running on the treadmill at the gym and was rushed to a hospital by his trainer. He was given immediate CPR and then underwent an angioplasty.

Along with his stand-up acts in comedy shows such as The Great Indian Laughter Challenge and The Kapil Sharma Show, he was also featured in Hindi films such as Maine Pyar Kiya, Baazigar, Bombay to Goa and Aamdani Atthani Kharcha Rupaiya.

The comedian was also widely loved for his impersonation of actors and political leaders. In 2017, he revealed that even Prime Minister Narendra Modi enjoys his mimicry. “He told me, ‘If you wish to, you should mimic me, just take care that the crowd should be entertained.’ He believes mimicry is an art,” he told The Indian Express.

Srivastava was also the chairman of the Film Development Council, Uttar Pradesh, and worked tirelessly to build a Film City in UP.