Bollywood Mourns Actor-Singer Sulakshana Pandit

Mumbai, Nov 7 (PTI) Unsung and forgotten, actor-singer Sulakshana Pandit, celebrated for her films such as "Uljhan" and "Sankoch" from the 1970s, was bid a final farewell on Friday, following her death due to a cardiac arrest at the age of 71.

Sulakshana, one of the few personalities in Bollywood who achieved significant success as both an actor and a singer, passed away on Thursday night at the residence of her sister, Vijayata Pandit, where she had lived since 2006.

Her last rites were conducted at the Pawan Hans crematorium in Juhu. Among those present were actors Shabana Azmi and Poonam Dhillon, accompanied by family members such as Vijayata Pandit and music composer brother Lalit Pandit, known for being one part of the Jatin-Lalit duo.

Sulakshana's vocal talents are immortalized in songs like "Tu Hi Sagar Tu Hi Kinara" from "Sankalp" (1975) and "Bandi Re Kaahe Preet" from "Sankoch" (1976). She was born in 1954 in Raigarh, into a musical family that traces its roots to Hissar, Haryana. Her uncle was the legendary vocalist, Pandit Jasraj. As the eldest among three brothers and four sisters, Sulakshana had to step into the public eye early due to the passing of her father and guru, Pratap Narain Pandit.

Her first career duet was "Saat Samandar Par" with Lata Mangeshkar for the 1967 hit "Taqdeer." Eight years on, she made her acting debut with the 1975 success "Uljhan," opposite Sanjeev Kumar. Her unrequited love for him remained a lifelong heartache and led to her never marrying after his death in 1985.

Her career in showbiz flourished as she worked alongside leading stars of the era, like Rajesh Khanna, Shashi Kapoor, Jeetendra, and Vinod Khanna, featuring in movies such as "Hera Pheri," "Khandaan," "Apnapan," and "Bundlebaaz." Yet, singing remained her passion, and she pursued it alongside her acting career with hit numbers like "Pardesiya Tere Desh Mein," "Bekrar Dil Tut Gaya," and "Somvaar Ko Hum Mile."

Vijayata revealed in a recent interview that Sulakshana had been unwell for a long time. "She has been staying with us for a long time now. She was in a bad state; she was retired and had no money to maintain the house. So I brought her to my house and got her property sold off. From the money, I got her a flat in Lokhandwala... She also got my sisters Sandhya and Maya a house," Vijayata told Lehren Retro last year.

Vijayata, who herself gained fame with the film "Love Story" and was married to the late musician Aadesh Srivastava, also shared that she hid the death of their sister Sandhya from Sulakshana. Sandhya Singh disappeared from her Navi Mumbai home in December 2012. In January 2013, human remains were discovered in the marshes, 200 meters from her home, which DNA tests confirmed as Sandhya's.

"Sulakshana till date doesn't know that she is no longer alive. I haven't told her. If she learns about the death, she won't be able to handle it. I tell her that Sandhya is fine and living in Indore," Vijayata revealed last year.

Singer and cousin, Durga Jasraj, the daughter of Pandit Jasraj, considered Sulakshana "the first star" and a crucial family pillar. "While the three brothers, Sangeet Mahamohpadhyay Pandit Maniram ji, Sangeet Acharya Pandit Pratap Narayan ji (Sulakshana jiji's father), and Sangeet Martand Pandit Jasraj ji dedicated their lives to Hindustani Classical Music, Sulakshana jiji dedicated her entire life to showcasing the family through her immense talent," Durga shared on X.

Niece Shweta Pandit grieved on Instagram, writing, "My guru, my guide, my lifeline… she was the prettiest angel I got to spend some of my most beautiful musical memories with. Her music journey was phenomenal, and her acting journey was unforgettable.. and she did all of it on her own. 100% self-made artist. Pranaam to her incredible self. She left all of us with her beauty and talent - still within her. So much left to explore… her story is unsaid. Love you my shining star," Shweta wrote.

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