Remembering Raju Srivastav (1963-2022): A look back at the comedian's life and career
The beginning
Born in a middle-class family in Kanpur in 1963 as Satya Prakash Srivastava, Raju started mimicking film stars from an young age. In an old interview, Srivastav had recalled how he would wait for school function to perform comedy sketches in school. His father, Ramesh Chandra Srivastava worked in government sector and was also a poet.
Early career
Raju Srivastav's first break came in the early 1990s. He was a part of 'Tea Time Manoranjan' - a show that aired on India's state run channel Doordarshan in 1994. Srivastav was also part of several live shows as he provided fillers in between acts.
The big break on TV
While Srivastav had been a known face in comedy for many years, he catapulted to fame when he appeared as a contestant on the 'The Great Indian Laughter Challenge' in 2005. Many would recall his physical comedy on the show, his narration of a character called Gajodar Bhaiya. While Sunil Pal was declared the winner, Raju was the second runner-up on the show.
Family
Srivastav married Shikha in Lucknow in 1993. The couple share two children- daughter Antara and son Ayushman. The couple had also participated in the popular dance reality show 'Nach Baliye' Season 6 in 2013. Srivastav had also featured in the third season of 'Bigg Boss'- an Indian version of the popular reality show 'Big Brother'.
Films and politics
The stand up comedian also featured in several Bollywood films including 'Maine Pyaar Kiya', 'Baazigar', 'Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon' and 'Toilet : Ek Prem Katha'. Srivastav joined Bhartiya Janta Party in 2014 and was an active campaigner of PM Modi's Swachh Bharat Abhiyan program.
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