Veteran comedian Raju Srivastava passes away at 58

Veteran comedian Raju Srivastava passed away at the age of 58 at the AIIMS Delhi. The comedian was admitted to the hospital after he suffered a heart attack while working out at the gym. Srivastava was put on life support in ICU after his condition became critical and the doctors tried their best to revive him.

Raju Srivastava further suffered brain damage which made his condition worse. The comedian furthermore didn’t respond to the treatment by the doctors which made it difficult for any improvement. Earlier on August 9, Srivastava’s team had confirmed his heart attack but maintained that his condition was stable. Their statement read, “He was working out on the treadmill around 11-11:30 when he had the stroke. He is stable now. There is nothing to worry as of now. Doctors are conducting tests, we'll share more information soon.” The late comedian's close friend Ajit Saxena soon after that revealed to the media that the doctors had declared him to be brain dead and his heart to not function properly. However, they were still hoping for a miracle but alas, Srivastav couldn't survive the numerous health setbacks. 

Raju Srivastava rose to fame due to his rib-tickling performance in comedy shows like The Great Indian Laughter Challenge and The Great Indian Laughter Challenge – Champion. He was also well-known for mimicking Amitabh Bachchan and mouthing some popular dialogues of the actor. However, he became a household name after his character ‘Gajodhar Bhaiya’ struck a chord with the masses. The comedian had gone on to do numerous shows and was also hailed as the ‘King of comedy.’

Raju Srivastava also performed small roles in prominent movies like Maine Pyaar Kiya, Baazigar, Amdani Atthani Kharcha Rupaiya, and many others. The comedian had also participated in the show Bigg Boss 3 which was then hosted by Amitabh Bachchan. His bond with the show’s winner Vindu Dara Singh was much loved by the audience. Raju and his wife Shikha were also participants in Nach Baliye 6 and the comedian was also part of Kapil Sharma’s show Comedy Nights With Kapil. He is now survived by his wife and two children.