From breakthrough performance in 'Balika Vadhu' to winning 'Bigg Boss 13': Look at Sidharth Shukla's career

'Bigg Boss 13' winner Sidharth Shukla, best known for his role in the long-running TV serial 'Balika Vadhu', died here after a massive heart attack on Thursday. He was 40 years old and is survived by his mother and two sisters. A Cooper Hospital spokesperson said here that the actor was "brought dead" in the morning. The news of Sidharth's death sent shock waves across the film and television industry. His fans on social media mourned the actor's demise and termed it as the biggest loss after the sudden demise of young actor Sushant Singh Rajput last year. 

Born on December 12, 1980, to late Ashok Shukla and Rita Shukla, a civil engineer at the Reserve Bank of India homemaker, respectively, Sidharth attended St. Xavier's High School, Fort, Mumbai and earned a Bachelor's degree in Interior Design from Rachana Sansad School of Interior Design.

In 2004, Sidharth Shukla emerged as the runner-up in the Gladrags Manhunt and Megamodel Contest. Later, in 2005, he represented India at the World's Best Model contest held in Turkey. he became the first Indian, as well as the first Asian, to win the title. Soon after, he bagged several endorsements and was termed one of as India's supermodels. 

In 2008, Sidharth Shukla made his acting debut in the television show 'Babul Ka Aangann Chootey Na' opposite Aastha Chaudhary. The show went off-air in February, 2009. Later, he did shows like 'Jaane Pehchaane Se... Ye Ajnabbi', 'Love U Zindagi', and appeared in few episodes of Aahat and CID. Sidharth's big TV breakthrough came with 'Balika Vadhu' opposite Pratyusha Banerjee and Toral Rasputra. The show got him widespread popularity. Laer, in 2013, Shukla participated in the celebrity dance reality show 'Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 6'. In 2014, Sidharth hosted Savdhaan India. In 2015, after quitting 'Balika Vadhu', he hosted 'India's Got Talent 6'. In 2016, Sidharth Shukla won the stunt reality show 'Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi 7'. The same year, he hosted 'India's Got Talent 7'. In 2017, he did 'Dil Se Dil Tak' opposite Rashami Desai and Jasmin Bhasin. In 2019, he participated in 'Bigg Boss 13' and won the show and a large number of fans with his performance. 

In 2014, at the time Sidharth was still doing TV, he made his Bollywood debut in a supporting role in Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt starrer 'Humpty Sharma Ki Dulahnia'.  The film earned him an award for "Breakthrough Supporting Performance (Male)" in the 2015. 

Recently, Sidharth Shukla made his digital debut with AltBalaji's 'Broken But Beautiful 3' opposite Sonia Rathee. The actor had won rave reviews for his performance in the show.