Pratyusha Banerjee
Banerjee at her birthday bash
Born(1991-08-10)10 August 1991[1][2]
Jamshedpur, Bihar
(present-day Jharkhand), India
Died1 April 2016(2016-04-01) (aged 24)
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
NationalityIndian
OccupationActress
Years active2010–2016
Known for

Pratyusha Banerjee (10 August 1991– 1 April 2016) was an Indian television actress. She had appeared in numerous television and reality shows.[3]

Banerjee first gained recognition in 2010 in the television show Balika Vadhu.[4] This was her first leading role in the television series where she earned her household name "Anandi".[4] She had participated in the reality show Bigg Boss 7 (2013).[5]

Career

She started her career with a supporting role in the show Rakt Sambandh which was followed by playing the role of Vaani (best friend of Akshara played by Hina Khan) in Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai on Star Plus.[citation needed]

She was selected for the lead role in 2010 Indian television series Balika Vadhu as an adult version of Anandi, replacing Avika Gor. According to the actress, she was chosen via a talent hunt, surpassing the contestants Nivedita Tiwari from Lucknow and Ketaki Chitale from Mumbai.[6] Following the success of the show Banerjee participated in Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa (season 5). However, she left the dance show, stating that she was not comfortable during the dance rehearsals.[7][8]

In 2013, she was one of the most competitive contestants in the seventh season of the show Bigg Boss.[9][10][11][12][13] She appeared in Power Couple, along with her partner Rahul Raj Singh.[14] Banerjee had played vital roles in Hum Hain Na,[15] Sasural Simar Ka and Gulmohar Grand.[16]

Her most notable work was in the serial Balika Vadhu and she was popularly known as Anandi.[citation needed]

Personal life

Pratyusha was born in a Bengali family in Jamshedpur city of Jharkhand to Shankar and Soma Banerjee.[6] Her father is known social worker and runs their own NGO. In 2010, she left Jamshedpur to work in Mumbai.[17]

Death

On 1 April 2016, Banerjee was found dead by hanging in her Mumbai apartment at the age of 24. According to the postmortem report the cause of death was asphyxia.[18][19][20][21]

However her parents allege she was murdered by her boyfriend, actor-producer Rahul Raj Singh, and passed off as suicide. They have pressed charges against him.[22] After this in 2018 her boyfriend Rahul Raj Singh has filed an application before the Dindoshi sessions court in Mumbai, requesting to be discharged from the case. Passing the blame on the late TV actress' parents, Rahul in the application says that her parents had taken heavy loans in her name and the actress being unable to pay her debts was frustrated and hence took the huge step.[23] [24] [25]

Television

Year(s) Show Role Notes
2010 Rakt Sambandh Priya Jagirdar
Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai Vaani
2010–13 Balika Vadhu Anandi Jagdish Singh/ Anandi Shivraj Shekhar Lead role
2011 Kitchen Champion Season 4 Guest
2012 Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 5 Contestant
2013 Bigg Boss 7 Contestant
2014 Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya Episodic role
Savdhaan India Host
2014–15 Hum Hain Na Sagarika Mishra Lead role
2014 Kaun Banega Crorepati 8 Guest
2015 Killerr Karaoke Atka Toh Latkah Guest
Itna Karo Na Mujhe Pyaar Guest
Comedy Classes Balika Sidhu Comic role
Gulmohar Grand Parinda Pathak Special appearance
Sasural Simar Ka Mohini Antagonist
Swaragini – Jodein Rishton Ke Sur Guest (as Mohini)
Kumkum Bhagya[26] Guest
Aahat[citation needed] Episodic role
Bad Company Guest
Power Couple Contestant
2016 Adhuri Kahaani Hamari Naagin Protagonist
Yeh Vaada Raha Guest

Awards

Year Award Category Show Result
2010 Indian Telly Awards Best Fresh New Face – Female Balika Vadhu Nominated
2012 Indian Telly Awards Best Actress in a Lead Role
Best Television Personality
Best Onscreen Couple
People's Choice Awards India Favourite Drama Actress
Most Good-Looking Onscreen Jodi
BIG Star Entertainment Awards BIG Star Most Entertaining Television Actor – Female Won[27]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Pratyusha Banerjee's b'day party". Times of India. 10 August 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
  2. ^ "Pratyusha Banerjee would have been 25 today: Kamya Punjabi, Adaa Khan remember Balika Vadhu star, see pics". Indian Express. 10 August 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  3. ^ Singh, Mandwi (2 April 2016). "Balika Vadhu to Power Couple: 7 shows we will always remember Pratyusha Banerjee for". India Today. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  4. ^ a b Singh, Mandwi (2 April 2016). "Pratyusha 'Anandi' Banerjee of Balika Vadhu hangs self". India Today. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  5. ^ "Bigg Boss season 7 to air from September; Pratyusha Banerjee to be an inmate". 24 July 2013.
  6. ^ a b Bose, Antara (25 July 2010). "Jamshedpur girl is India's most popular bride". The Telegraph. Kolkata desk. Archived from the original on 19 November 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
  7. ^ "Rashmi in Pratyusha out in Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa?". Times of India. 18 July 2012. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  8. ^ "IT'S NOT JUST DANCE". Daily Pioneer. 22 September 2013. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
  9. ^ "Balika Vadhu's Pratyusha Banerjee to enter 'Bigg Boss' house?". 29 July 2013. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  10. ^ "We all used to rag Salman about Elli: Pratyusha". Times of India. 21 November 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  11. ^ "'Bigg Boss 7': Pratyusha Banerjee gets evicted". Zeenews India. 17 November 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  12. ^ "'Bigg Boss 7': It was scary, says Pratyusha Banerjee on her 'Bigg' experience". Zeenews.india.com. 18 November 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  13. ^ "Pratyusha Banerjee evicted from Bigg Boss house". Indian Express. 17 November 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  14. ^ "Pratyusha and Rahul were Raj and Simran kind of a couple: Delnaaz Irani". India Today. 2 April 2016.
  15. ^ Maheshwari, Neha (28 February 2015). "Pratyusha Banerjee and Kanwar Dhillon's Hum Hai Na to end on March 19". Times of India. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
  16. ^ "Pratyusha Banerjee to play Parinda in 'Gulmohar Grand'". The Indian Express. 28 May 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
  17. ^ Nitasha Natu & Rebecca Samervel (7 April 2016). "Rahul 'poisoned' Pratyusha's mind against her parents?". The Times of India. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  18. ^ "The Balika Vadhu star Pratyusha Banerjee dead, here is all about the actress". The Indian Express. 2 April 2016.
  19. ^ Hegde, Rajul (2 April 2016). "Balika Vadhu actress Pratyusha Banerjee commits suicide". Rediff.
  20. ^ "Balika Vadhu's Pratyusha Banerjee, 24, Allegedly Commits Suicide". NDTV. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  21. ^ "'Pratyusha Banerjee wasn't finding any work and cash was drying up'". Times of India. 2 April 2016.
  22. ^ "18 things Pratyusha Banerjee's parents revealed about her relationship with Rahul Raj Singh".
  23. ^ "Pratyusha Banerjee suicide case: Ex-boyfriend Rahul Raj Singh files for discharge from the case".
  24. ^ "2016 suicide case | Rahul made Pratyusha Banerjee's life a living hell: court". Indian Express.
  25. ^ "Pratyusha Banerjee died by suicide due to Rahul Raj's conduct: Court". Hindustain Times.
  26. ^ "In pics: Looking back at the life of late TV actor Pratyusha Banerjee". Hindustan Times. 1 April 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  27. ^ Metro Masti (24 December 2012). "Big Star Entertainment Awards Pratyusha Banerjee won Best Actress". metromasti.com.

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