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The Indian television industry, over the years, has unfortunately witnessed the heartbreaking loss of several young, talented artists to suicide, shocking fans and colleagues alike. While everyone has their own journey, their passing has sparked a debate around mental health, emotional well-being, and the pressures that come with being a celebrity and attaining fame. The uncertainty around acting jobs, stressful shooting schedules, heartbreaks, and many other factors have been speculated as the reasons behind the untimely loss of these television artists.
Today, we revisit young television actresses who died by suicide.
1. Sanchita Ugale
The industry and fans woke up to the shocking news of suicide by Sanchita Ugale as reported by the Indian Express on June 15, 2026. The actress, who was prominent for her roles in Kumkum Bhagya and Wagle Ki Duniya, allegedly died by hanging herself from a ceiling fan at her residence in the Palghar district, Maharashtra. Sanchita was all of 22 when she decided to take this extreme step.
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What’s shocking is that just a couple of hours earlier, the actress had posted a video of herself smiling and humming along to a song. Seeing her happy state, no one could have guessed that Sanchita was going through her own share of struggles.
In addition to television, the actress also featured in movies, including the blockbuster historical drama Chhava starring Vicky Kaushal, and appeared alongside Manoj Bajpayee in the film Silence 2: The Night Owl Bar Shootout.
2. Prayusha Banerjee
On April 1, 2016, Pratyusha Banerjee’s devastating news of suicide, as reported by TOI of India, left fans confused—was it real or an insensitive prank by the actress? However, reality soon struck when news spread like wildfire; the 24-year-old actress had indeed taken the extreme step and hung herself. Pratyusha, best known for her role as Anandi in Ballika Vadhu and her appearance in Bigg Boss 7, was in a relationship with actor-producer Rahul Raj, who was booked for abetting her suicide. The report suggested that Pratyusha was driven to suicide by Rahul, who would harass her mentally and physically.
In addition to personal challenges with Rahul, the actress’s mounting financial problems and her struggles to pay off debts were also contributing to her deteriorating mental health, as reported by The Hindu.
As of September 2023, TOI reported that Rahul’s discharge plea was rejected by a Mumbai sessions court. The court maintained that Rahul made Pratyusha’s life miserable, also pointing out that before committing suicide, the latter had even contacted a mental health helpline over her relationship issues and expressed an interest in enrolling in counseling sessions.
3. Tunisha Sharma
Most suicide incidents tend to take place at an actor’s own residence. However, this case was particularly shocking as 20-year-old actress Tunisha Sharma hung herself in the makeup room on the sets of her show Ali Baba: Dastaan-E-Kabul, as reported by the TOI. Further, the timeline of the incidents shows that Tunisha reportedly took a tea break, went to her makeup room, and then took the extreme step. The actress was rushed to the hospital and was declared dead on arrival. As the case unfolded, it was revealed that Tunisha was dating her co-star, Sheezan Khan, and the two had broken up a few days earlier. It was brought to light by Tunisha’s uncle, Pawan Sharma, that post-breakup, Tunisha suffered an anxiety attack and was even hospitalized.
The actor was questioned and arrested, following allegations by Tunisha’s mother, who claimed that he was the reason behind her daughter’s suicide. She claimed that Sheezan cheated on her and made false promises of marrying her. Sheezan was sent to judicial custody for four days. His sisters, meanwhile, claimed that their brother was being framed. During a police interrogation, Sheezan said that he ended things with Tunisha owing to their different religions. The court eventually granted bail to Sheezan in the abetment to suicide case, as reported by The Hindu.
4. Vaishali Takkar
30-year-old Vaishali Takkar was found hanging on October 16, 2022, in her Indore apartment, as reported by The New Indian Express. The actress gained recognition for her roles in the popular television shows Sasural Simar Ka and Yeh Hai Aashiqui. As per the report, the actress was found hanging from her ceiling by a rope after being alerted by residents in the vicinity. She was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival. The year prior to 2022, Vaishali had announced her engagement to Dr Abhinandan Singh with a video captioned, “What’s yours will ultimately find you even from another end of the world.”
However, the actress later deleted the video and stopped posting anything about her fiancé, leading to speculations that her troubled personal life could have been a factor in her suicide. But in a bizarre turn of events, Vaishali’s neighbors were booked for abetting her suicide, as claimed by her in the suicide note found at the site, as reported by NDTV. In her five-page suicide note, Vaishali claimed that her neighbor, Rahul, had been harassing her ever since he learned about her marriage plans.
5. Sejal Sharma
Sejal Sharma ended her life at the mere age of 26. As reported by TOI, the actress was found hanging in her apartment in Mira Road, Mumbai, in 2020 and had left behind a suicide note that stated that no one should be blamed for her death. Sejal had started acting in the show in January 2019, which abruptly ended in August. The actress’s friends told the police that Sejal slipped into depression post her show’s abrupt ending and was unable to find work post that. Her friends also hinted at a possible romance gone wrong that added to her depression. Hailing from Udaipur, Rajasthan, Sejal had moved to Mumbai to pursue acting, and the show in 2019 was her first television serial. Prior to this, the actress appeared in a few commercials alongside celebrities such as Aamir Khan, Rohit Sharma, and Hardik Pandya.
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