Actor Sushant Singh Rajput was a talented actor, who made his presence felt with his screen presence and sincere performances. On Monday, as fans remember the 'Anni' on his first death anniversary, here is a look at the star's contribution to Bollywood and the TV industry.
Finding a foothold
SSR, who was born in Patna in 1986, began his acting career with a supporting role in the Ekta Kapoor-backed show Kis Desh Mein Hai Meraa Dil. It was, however, his performance in Pavitra Rishta that opened new avenues for him. The show revolved around the journey of two lovers, Manav and Archana, played by Sushant and Ankita Lokhande, and received praise for the engaging plot and performances. SSR quit the show in 2011 — two years after it went on air — and was replaced by Hiten Tejwani. He, however, returned for the finale in 2014.
Making an impact in Bollywood
Sushant made his Bollywood debut with the 2013 release Kai Po Che, which was based on author Chetan Bhagat's popular novel The Three Mistakes of My Life. It emerged as a big hit while receiving rave reviews. He subsequently received acclaim for his work in Shuddh Desi Romance and Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!. The star was also part of Aamir Khan's 2015 blockbuster PK.
'MS Dhoni: The Untold Story'
The year 2016 proved to be a memorable one for the young hero as the eagerly-awaited film MS Dhoni: The Untold Story opened to a thunderous response at the box office. Director Neeraj Pandey's magnum opus was based on cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni's life and released in multiple languages.
A setback and bouncing back
Sushant wasn't able to capitalise on the film's success as his next release Raabta, co-starring Kriti Sanon, underperformed at the box office. He, however, bounced back with Kedarnath and Chhichhore — his last movie to release in theatres. The Nitesh Tiwari-helmed film emerged as a surprise hit while impressing critics. It had an impressive cast that included Shraddha Kapoor, Varun Sharma and Naveen Polishetty.
Posthumous triumph
SSR's last film Dil Bechara released on a popular streaming platform, nearly a month after his death, and proved to be a 'digital blockbuster'. It was an adaptation of the novel The Fault in Our Stars and featured Sanjana Sanghi as the leading lady.