Noted comedian & TV star Raju Srivastava passes away at 58

Popular comedian-actor Raju Srivastava remains on the ventilator after being admitted in the intensive care unit of AIIMS on August 10 following a heart attack. The 58-year-old, who underwent an angioplasty, is still critical. As worry surrounds his fans across the world, his daughter Antara informed PTI that doctors are still treating the comedian.

The actor, whose real name is Satya Prakash Srivastava, was born on December 25, 1963 in Kanpur. A well-known face in the entertainment industry since the 1980s, his film debut happened in 1988 with a small role in N Chandra’s blockbuster 'Tezaab'.But the comedian catapulted to fame only after he came and conquered the first season of the reality stand-up comedy show 'The Great Indian Laughter Challenge' in 2005 with his jokes.

Before finding major success through 'The Great Indian Laughter Challenge', where he emerged as a second runner-up, Srivastava had appeared in small roles in several Bollywood films such as 'Maine Pyaar Kiya', 'Baazigar', 'Main Prem Ki Deewani Hu', 'Bombay To Goa' and 'Aamdani Atthani Kharcha Rupaiya'.

Earlier in his career, Srivastava appeared in cameos. In 'Baazigar', he was seen playing the role of a college student. In 'Maine Pyaar Kiya', he played the role of a driver. But when Srivastava appeared on 'The Great Indian Laughter Challenge', he won the crowd with his Gajodhar Bhaiya character. The jokes rolled, so did the laughter.

In one of his earlier interviews, Srivastava had recounted the state of affairs in the country’s stand-up comedy domain. . The comedian had said that when he first arrived in Mumbai, people did not consider comedians as "great actors", and at that point, jokes would start and end with Johnny Walker, and Johnny Lever. "At that time, there was no plan for stand-up comedy, so I did not get the space I wanted," Srivastava had said.

But that didn’t stop Srivastava from chasing his dreams. Despite the lack of space, he did manage to make a mark for himself. As stand-up comedy slowly and gradually found a footing in the entertainment industry, Srivastava became one of the regular fixtures.

He went on to appear in several shows such as 'Comedy Ka Maha Muqabala', 'Comedy Circus', 'Laugh India Laugh' and 'Comedy Nights With Kapil'. As stand-up comedy found its audience, it opened several doors for Srivastava who went on to become one of the highest-paid stand-up comedians in India.

During the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the Samajwadi Party fielded Srivastava from Kanpur. However, on March 11, 2014, Srivastava renounced his candidature.. A few days later, the comedian joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on March 19..

Srivastava was a part of the ambassadors chosen to endorse the cleanliness drive in India under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.. The comedian has visited several cities in the country to drive home the message of cleanliness and clean surroundings. He has also done several music videos for Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Srivastava is also the chairperson of the Film Development Council.