Veteran actress-singer Sulakshana Pandit dies the same date as Sanjeev Kumar; know more about her one-sided love for the actor

Yesteryear’s popular actress and singer, Sulakshana Pandit, died on November 6 at the age of 71 due to age-related illness. Incidentally, she died on the same date as veteran actor Sanjeev Kumar, who died on November 6, 1985. But that’s not where the two stars are connected. Years ago, Sulakshana was reportedly in love with Sanjeev Kumar and even wanted to marry him; however, the veteran actor never reciprocated the same feeling for her.

Sulakshana Pandit-Sanjeev Kumar story

Sulakshana Pandit and Sanjeev Kumar starred in the 1975 film, Uljhan. While working on the film, Sulakshana fell in love with Sanjeev Kumar and proposed marriage to him. However, the actor had apparently turned her down, citing he didn’t have many years to live since he was suffering from chronic heart disease.

It is also believed that Sanjeev was in love with Hema Malini and had even proposed marriage to her, but the actress was already in a relationship with Dharmendra and turned his offer down, thus leaving Sanjeev Kumar heartbroken.

Later rumours were rife that Sulakshana Pandit and Sanjeev Kumar were in a relationship, but author Hanif Zaveri’s biography of Sanjeev Kumar titled 'An Actor’s Actor: The Authorised Biography of Sanjeev Kumar', states he never was in a relationship with Pandit.

Some reports stated that Sulakshana also took Sanjeev Kumar to a temple to get married, but he refused.

Sulakshana Pandit was ‘mentally disturbed’ after Sanjeev Kumar’s death

Sulakshana Pandit was left deeply heartbroken after Sanjeev Kumar's death on November 6, 1985. Soon after, Sulakshana lost her mother, and the two deaths took a toll on her health, both mentally and physically. She steadily faded away from stardom and faced health issues and poverty.

Later in 2006, Sulakshana moved in with her sister, actress Vijayta Pandit and her now-late husband, music composer Aadesh Shrivastava. The veteran singer even tried to make a comeback as a singer in 2007, but did not taste success with her album.

Earlier in an interview to Mumbai Mirror, Sulakshana Pandit had spoken about her difficult years and said, "I had no film offers or singing assignments. Then Sanjeev Kumar passed away. Even my mother passed away at a time when I needed her most. These deaths had a lasting impact on me. Needless to say, they took a toll on my health. I was mentally disturbed and shaken for the longest time.”

Sulakshana had also shared about not feeling lost in life anymore. She said, "I have always wanted to have a family of my own. My sister Vijeta has been looking after me for a while now. Her husband, Aadesh Srivastava, has been more than a brother to me. It feels good to be a part of their family now. I don't feel lost any more."

During her prime, Sulakshana Pandit featured in films like Hera Pheri, Apnapan, Khandaan, and Waqt Ki Deewar. She worked with prominent actors of her time, including Rajesh Khanna, Jeetendra, Vinod Khanna, Shashi Kapoor, and Shatrughan Sinha.