Bollywood
India has one less reason to laugh; our favourite ‘Gajodar Bhaiyya’ is no more
Known for his earthy humour and inimitable delivery style, comedian Raju Srivastav, who became a household name in his delightful ‘Gajodhar Bhaiyya’ persona, breathed his last on Wednesday, September 21, aged 59. The popular comedian battled for his life for 43 days.
He passed away at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), where he had been rushed on August 9 after he complained of chest pain and collapsed in the South Delhi gym where he was working out.
Srivastav was at once moved to the Intensive Care Unit and put on a ventilator. Doctors had then said that he had suffered brain damage.
Born on December 25, 1963, Satya Prakash Srivastava, who later became famous as Raju Srivastava, came from a middle-class family in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh.
A gifted mimic, the comedy star had his share on initial struggles before attracting notice by mimicking megastar Amitabh Bachchan’s iconic baritone voice. That got him invited to stage shows both within and outside India.
He first appeared in small roles in Bollywood films, such as the 1989 Salman Khan-starrer ‘Maine Pyaar Kiya’, where he essayed the role of Shambhu, a house help. He then appeared in Shah Rukh Khan’s defining film ‘Baazigar’, which was released in 1993.
Srivastava was then seen in films such as ‘Aamdani Atthani Kharcha Rupaiyaa’ (2001), ‘Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon’ (2003), ‘Big Brother’ (2007) and ‘Bombay To Goa’ (2007), among many others.
His big breakthrough came in 2005, however, with the first season of ‘The Great Indian Laughter Challenge’, which opened the doors for him in the world of stand-up comedy.
He finished as second runner-up and then took part in the spin-off, ‘The Great Indian Laughter Challenge – Champions’, where he was feted with the title of ‘The King of Comedy’.
In 2009, he took over the cameras, quite literally, as he joined the reality show ‘Bigg Boss 3’. Following that, he was seen in ‘Comedy Ka Maha Muqabala’.
The beauty of his life was that he constantly kept pushing the envelope. In 2013, Srivastava, along with his wife Shikha, participated in the popular dance show ‘Nach Baliye’ Season 6. Soon thereafter, he also appeared on ‘Comedy Nights with Kapil’.
He even branched out into politics! The Samajwadi Party fielded Srivastava from Kanpur in the 2014 Lok Sabha election, but he returned the ticked and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. Prime Minister Narendra Modi named him to be a part of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, for which he has shot various TV commercials and social service video.
He is survived by Shikha, whom he married in 1993, and their children Antara and Ayushman.
Bollywood
Shah Rukh Khan lauds Captain Smit Machchhar’s heroic act: You stood strong when it mattered the most

Mumbai, Oct 3: Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan lauded Captain Smit Machchhar for his courage and presence of mind that ended up saving many lives during the horrific mid-air incident aboard a Flydubai flight.
Wishing the Captain a speedy recovery, SRK shared that the entire country was extremely proud of him as he managed to show courage during extreme circumstances.
Taking to his X (Formerly known as Twitter) timeline, Salman wrote, “Captain Smit Machchhar, you stood strong when it mattered the most!! It’s not easy to stare adversity in the face and put one’s safety on the line… but you did just that to protect those onboard and showed us what being a Captain entails. A true display of courage and duty. Wishing you a speedy recovery, the country is proud of you…(sic).”
Prior to this, Salman Khan also applauded Captain Smit Machchhar, saying that it would be a pleasure to fly with him.
Salman’s Tweet read, “Kamaal kar diya pilot ji, hum sab aap ko salute karte hain will be a pleasure to fly with u.. Well done bro.. Capt #SmitMachchhar.”
For the unversed, Captain Machchhar was seriously injured on Flydubai flight FZ1073, which was headed from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 174 people on board, after his co-pilot allegedly attacked him inside the cockpit.
Despite being seriously injured, he managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to intervene. The aircraft was eventually diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.
Many prominent names from the world of entertainment used social media to pay tribute to Captain Machchhar.
Actor Anil Kapoor revealed that he shares a personal connection to the pilot through his business manager Jalal. He shared that Jalal had known Captain Machchhar ever since his days in flying school and had always considered him as someone he would want by his side in a difficult situation.
His post read, “What Smit did in that moment was nothing short of extraordinary. It takes immense courage to stay strong and put others first.”
Bollywood
Salman Khan ‘salutes’ Captain Smit Machchhar for heroic act, says ‘Kamaal kar diya pilot ji, will be a pleasure to fly with you’

Mumbai, Oct 3: Bollywood superstar Salman Khan has lauded Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his courage and presence of mind during the terrifying mid-air incident aboard a Flydubai flight.
He said it would be a pleasure to fly with him as he took to his X (formerly Twitter account) , Salman wrote, “Kamaal kar diya pilot ji, hum sab aap ko salute karte hain will be a pleasure to fly with u.. Well done bro.. Capt #SmitMachchhar.”
Salman’s opening phrase, “Kamaal kar diya pilot ji”, also has the familiar playful tonality associated with his iconic Dabangg dialogue “Kamaal karte ho, Pandey ji”, making the tribute sound the quintessential like a Salman-style salute.
The actor’s message comes after a dramatic incident involving Flydubai flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 174 people on board. Captain Machchhar was seriously injured after his co-pilot allegedly attacked him inside the cockpit.
Despite deep his injuries, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to intervene. The aircraft was subsequently diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.
The brave act has been lauded by millions with a lot of Bollywood stars lauding the captain.
Actor Anil Kapoor also shared a heartfelt tribute to Captain Machchhar, revealing a personal connection to the pilot through his business manager Jalal.
Anil Kapoor recalled that Jalal had known Smit since flying school and had always considered him someone he would want by his side in a difficult situation.
In his post, Kapoor wrote in part, “What Smit did in that moment was nothing short of extraordinary. It takes immense courage to stay strong and put others first…” He went on to express his respect for the captain and wished him a speedy recovery.
Many Bollywood celebrities have also taken to social media to salute Machchhar’s courage.
Vicky Kaushal shared a picture of the pilot in the cockpit and wrote, “Braveheart! Capt Smit Machchhar.”
Sunny Deol praised Machchhar’s “extraordinary courage and presence of mind”, saying he had helped avert a disaster and save lives, while wishing him a speedy recovery.
Tamannaah Bhatia highlighted the extraordinary responsibility Machchhar carried during the crisis.
R. Madhavan also joined the tributes, praying for the speedy recovery of what he described as a true hero.
Bollywood
BB 20: Rhiti Tiwari pens sweet note for Qazi post elimination, says ‘I’ve got your back’

Mumbai, Oct 3: After mid-week elimination from Bigg Boss 20, Rhiti Tiwari penned a heartfelt note for fellow contestant Qazi Touqeer.
Signalling a warmer equation between the two after their much-talked-about feud inside the house, Rhiti took to her social media account and shared a series of pictures from her final days inside the Bigg Boss 20 house, including a picture of herself hugging Qazi.
Along with the pictures, she wrote, “I’ve got your back. And when I am back, I’ll have it again.” She also tagged Qazi and added hashtags including #RhitiTiwari, #RhitiInBB20, #BB20, #BiggBoss20 and #QaziTouqeer.
Qazi’s team responded to Rhiti’s post with a message of support, writing, “Sending you lots of love and Respect , Everyone is so proud of you. Wishing you endless success and happiness—keep rising and shining! All the very best! -Team Qazi”
The post comes after Rhiti and Qazi’s equation went through a turbulent phase on the reality show.
During a diss battle task, their argument escalated, with Rhiti using abusive language against Qazi and Uditi Singh.
The matter was addressed by host Salman Khan during Weekend Ka Vaar. Salman reprimanded Rhiti over her language and aggressive behaviour, questioning her remarks towards Qazi and telling her that she had crossed the line of disrespect.
Following Salman’s schooling, Rhiti apologised to Qazi and Uditi and was seen making efforts to mend her equations with the housemates.
Her journey came to an abrupt end when she was eliminated mid-week after Mahhi Vij, Uditi Singh and Yung DSA chose her during a captaincy-related task that resulted in her losing her final lifeline.
For the uninitiated, Rhiti Tiwari is the daughter of Bhojpuri superstar and politician Manoj Tiwari.
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