Who was Sulakshana Pandit? Veteran singer-actor dies at 71
What's the story
Veteran singer and actor Sulakshana Pandit (71) died on Thursday in Mumbai after a prolonged illness. Her brother and music composer Lalit Pandit confirmed the news to Mid-Day, saying she suffered a cardiac arrest. "She passed away today around 7:00pm. She suffered cardiac arrest. Her funeral will be tomorrow (November 7) at 12:00 noon." May her soul rest in peace.
Career highlights
Her career began at 13
Pandit, born on July 12, 1954, in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, was part of a distinguished musical lineage. She was the sister of the celebrated composer duo Jatin-Lalit and a niece of legendary classical vocalist Pandit Jasraj. Her singing career began at 13 with her debut song Saat Samandar Paar Se from Taqdeer (1967). She also starred in films like Uljhan (1975), Sankalp (1975), Hera Pheri (1976), Apnapan (1977), Khandaan (1983), Chehre Pe Chehra (1985), and Dharam Kanta (1982).
Personal tragedy
She left the industry after emotional setback
Pandit was rumored to be in love with actor Sanjeev Kumar, who refused to marry her. The talented actor sadly died at 47 in 1985. Soon after this, Pandit lost her mother. She once said, "These deaths had a lasting impact on me. They took a toll on my health. I was mentally disturbed and shaken for the longest time." This is why she left the industry; her last film was Chehre Pe Chehra (1985), co-starring Dharmendra and Rajesh Khanna.