Veteran singer and actress Sulakshana Pandit passed away on Thursday at the age of 71. She died from cardiac arrest. According to her brother Lalit Pandit, she felt breathless in the evening and was being taken to Nanavati Hospital when she passed away.
Sulakshana Pandit Dies Due To Cardiac Arrest
Lalit told PTI, “She passed away due to cardiac arrest around 7 pm. She had complained of breathlessness and seemed a bit unwell. We were taking her to Nanavati hospital, but she died before we could reach the hospital.”
Her death has left fans heartbroken. Many remembered her not just for her talent, but also for her emotional life story. The day of her death (November 6) holds a deep coincidence. Surprisingly, it is also the death anniversary of actor Sanjeev Kumar, the man she reportedly loved but could never marry.
Her Family And Career
Sulakshana Pandit was born on July 12, 1954, in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh. She belonged to the famous Pandit family of musicians. Music ran in her blood. From a young age, she trained in classical singing and soon became one of Bollywood’s most loved playback singers.
Her soft and expressive voice made songs like Saat Samundar Paar and Tu Hi Sagar Tu Hi Kinara unforgettable. The latter even won her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer in 1976.
Sulakshana also made a mark as an actress. She made her Bollywood debut with Uljhan in 1975 opposite Sanjeev Kumar. It was during this film that she reportedly fell in love with him. But Sanjeev, who had faced heartbreak himself after being rejected by Hema Malini, couldn’t accept her love. Sulakshana never married and stayed devoted to him all her life.
Sanjeev Kumar passed away in 1985 due to a heart attack. His loss deeply affected Sulakshana. She slowly withdrew from films and public appearances after that.
During her career, she worked with many leading stars such as Rajesh Khanna, Shashi Kapoor, and Vinod Khanna. Her memorable films include Sankoch, Hera Pheri, Khandaan, Dharam Khanta, Do Waqt Ki Roti, and Gora. She also acted in the Bengali film Bandie (1978) opposite Uttam Kumar.
Alongside acting, Sulakshana continued to sing in multiple languages, including Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Oriya, and Gujarati. Her popular songs include Pardesiya Tere Desh Mein, Bekrar Dil Tut Gaya, Baandhi Re Kahe Preet, Somvaar Ko Hum Mile, Sona Re Tujhe Kaise Miloon, and Jab Aati Hogi Yaad Meri.
Sulakshana came from a talented family based in Hisar, Haryana. She was the niece of the legendary singer Pandit Jasraj. Her siblings (Jatin, Lalit, and Vijayta Pandit) also found fame in music and films.
Sulakshana Pandit’s death marks the end of an era. Her songs and films continue to live on in the hearts of fans. She will be remembered not only for her beautiful voice but also for her deep, unfulfilled love story that touched many hearts.
