New Delhi:
With moist eyes and a heavy heart, family and friends bid adieu to the departed soul of TV actor Kushal Punjabi on Saturday afternoon. The family requested the media to respect their privacy and asked them not to cover the last rites of Punjabi, which were performed at Santacruz crematorium here.
Besides family, industry friends including actors Chetan Hansraj, Karanvir Bohra, Arjun Bijalani, Eijaz Khan, Karan V Grover, Karan Mehra, Delnaaz Irani, Bhakhtyaar and Tanaaz Irani, Dhrashti Dhami, Kubbra Sait, Sushant Singh, among others paid their last respects.
Punjabi committed suicide at his Bandra residence in early hours of Friday. He left behind a one-and-a-half page suicide note in which he said nobody should be held responsible for his death, a police official said. The note mentioned that 50 per cent of his property/assets should be equally distributed among his parents and sister, and the remaining 50 per cent should be given to his three-year-old son Kian. However, it does not mention his wife Audrey Dolhen whom he married in November 2015. The couple was living separately for a while.
Punjabi started his career as a dancer and model. He appeared in several music videos such as Pehla Nasha (remix) and DJ Aqeel's Kehdoon Tumhen recreation. He also participated in Gladrags Manhunt Contest in the year 2000. His television debut happened with A Mouthful Of Sky in 1995 and over the years, Punjabi featured in popular shows such as Kasam Se, Kkusum, Dekho Magar Pyaar Se and Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat among others.
His film career started with 1996's anthology feature Bomgay, which also featured Rahul Bose with whom he later starred in Kaizad Gustad's 1998 movie Bombay Boys.
He had been part of quite a few films including Akshay Kumar and Priyanka Chopra-starrer Andaz, murder mystery Sssshhh..., in Farhan Akhtar's Lakshya, Karan Johar and Shah Rukh Khan's joint production Kaal, Nikkhil Advani directed Salaam-e-Ishq and Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal, starring John Abraham and Arshad Warsi.
Punjabi also appeared in multiple reality shows such as Fear Factor, Mr. & Miss TV, Paisa Bhari Padega and Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa. In 2011, he won the Shah Rukh Khan-hosted reality game show, Zor Ka Jhatka: Total Wipeout, an Indian version of US series of the same name.
