Comedian-actor Raju Srivastav, who passed away on Wednesday at the age of 58, was a reputed name in the entertainment industry and known for his comical quips on various aspects of Indian life.
Born in a middle-class family on December 25, 1963, in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, Raju gained national acclaim during his run on 'The Great Indian Laughter Challenge' and his stage character 'Gajodhar Bhaiya' was also very popular.
Talking about the comedian's movie career, Raju was best known for featuring in several films, including 'Maine Pyar Kiya, 'Baazigar', 'Bombay to Goa', and 'Aamdani Atthanni Kharcha Rupaiya'.
Over the years, Raju has been part of several popular Indian TV shows. So, as we bid adieu to the ace comedian, let us have a look back at some shows where he left the audience enthraled with his hilarious jokes.
'Shaktimaan' (1997-2005)
Raju was part of this hit TV series, which ran from 1997-2005, and played the role of Durandhar Singh in the show starring Mukesh Khanna as the maroon-suited crime-fighting protagonist.
'The Great Indian Laughter Challenge' (2005)
Raju became a popular household name after he participated in the comedy show 'Great Indian Laughter Challenge' in 2005. On the show, he won hearts by becoming 'Gajodhar Bhaiya' and his mimicry of actors like Amitabh Bachchan was quite loved. Though Raju wasn't the winner, he had created a special identity for himself.
'Bigg Boss Season 3' (2009)
Raju was also part of the third season of the massively popular reality TV show 'Bigg Boss', which back then was hosted by Amitabh Bachchan. The comedian stayed in the house for two months before being voted out by fellow contestants; however, while he was there, Raju often tickled the audience's funny bone with his jokes.
'Nach Baliye Season 6' (2013)
In 2013, Raju along with his wife Shikha, whom he married on July 1, 1993, and has two children with, participated in the dance reality show 'Nach Baliye Season 6'.
'Adalat' (2015)
The Ronit Roy starrer Indian courtroom drama anthology was highly acclaimed by TV viewers. In it, Raju was seen portraying the role of an accused.
'The Kapil Sharma Show' (2017)
Kapil Sharma's massively popular TV show, which invites celebrities each week to talk on light-hearted topics, had invited Raju on one of the episodes and it was a treat to watch the comedian do his magic on-screen.
Raju breathed his last breath at AIIMS Delhi after being admitted there following a heart attack on August 10. He underwent an angioplasty the same day. However, after staying on the ventilator for several weeks, he finally passed away on September 21.
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