An entire year has passed since the devastating news of model-actor Sidharth Shukla’s death struck the nation like a lightning bolt. The Bigg Boss 13 champion passed away after a cardiac arrest on September 2 last year, aged 40. Sidharth had not only won the Bigg Boss trophy but the hearts of millions of fans all over the country.
The actor’s chemistry with co-contestant Shehnaaz Gill was one of the highlights of that season as was his constant clashes with Rashmi Desai. Sidharth and Shehnaaz were rumoured to be dating after the show got over with their fans calling them ‘Sidnaaz’, a term that was coined while they were still in the Bigg Boss house.
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While Sidharth is no longer among us today, the shock and grief of losing the nation’s budding heartthrob at such a young age is something fans still have not come to terms with even after a year. According to a Hindustan Times report, 26-year-old Mehak, who hails from Punjab, remembers the year 2020 when she met Siddharth for the first time. “Within just a 30-minute meet, he mingled so well with me as if I was family. I told him he is the best son ever to which, he replied ‘No my mom is the best mom ever’.
Another fan, Smita Pandey, who met the actor on the Balika Vadhu has a beautiful memory to share. “As a gift, I sent Sid a mug with images of his fans. And on Mother’s Day, he shared a photo of himself and his mother holding the same mug! He was able to recall the majority of his admirers’ stories during interviews,” she said.
He played a significant role in our life, treated his SidHearts like family, and inspired and led us. It would be wonderful if we could travel back in time and relive his wonderful interactions with us. His absence has left a void, which can never be filled,” says Dr Nupur Kharangate, a dentist from Goa, who met the actor in December 2020.
Sidharth’s fandom is not just limited to India and transcends borders as well. Kumail Abbas Rizvi, a die-hard fan from Pakistan recalls how Sidharth would always express concern for the safety of people on the other side of the border whenever some untoward incident happened in Pakistan. Abbas said that the actor never differentiated between India, Pakistan or Bangladesh and that’s what endeared him to fans from all three countries. A resident of Toronto, Nikita Sharma feels Shehnaaz keeps the legacy of Sidharth alive and fans see the actor in Shehnaaz.
