Actor Tunisha Sharma, 20, was found dead on the sets of her TV show Ali Baba: Dastaan-e-Kabul on saturday. The incident occurred around 3.30pm, in Sharma’s co-actor and alleged boyfriend Sheezan M Khan’s makeup room. Senior police inspector Kailas Barve from Waliv police station in Maharashtra’s Vasai area, Palghar district, shares, “We are taking Sheezan to the Vasai court. Nothing came out in the postmortem report. While the media was questioning if she was pregnant, nothing like that came in the reports. Her mother said that Sheezan provoked her to commit suicide. They had an affair, but he denied marrying her, which is why she was in depression. He (Sheezan) admitted that they were in a relationship. They had a breakup in November, but they continued working on the set.”
Actor Vineet Raina, who is a part of Sharma’s ongoing show, was in his hometown, Jammu & Kashmir, when he got to know about her death. “She used to call me Bhaijaan. We had a certain bond, where if I cracked a joke, she would get it even if nobody else would. We used to laugh together. While she was tiny and thin, I’d always ask her where she got her energy from. She was like a deer, fudakti rehti thi. I very recently heard her singing and she was just too brilliant. She seemed very focused in life, I don’t know what happened,” Raina shares. Ask if Sharma ever spoke to him about mental health or issues with Khan, and he replies, “They were co-actors and there was a chemistry between them. But we never saw them fighting.
Actor Athar Siddiqui, who shared screen space with Sharma in Ali Baba, adds, “She brought a positive vibe on the set and I still remember that smiling face. She was a lovely girl, and was always cheerful. We even had some good moments. Yes, she was dating Sheezan and everyone on the set was aware. I’m absolutely shocked and heartbroken with the news.”
Actor Varun Badola, who played Sharma’s father in Internet Wala Love, says, “It doesn’t make sense. When I worked with her, she was 15 or 16. She wasn’t out of work. She didn’t even live her life to the fullest. I have nothing to say. Actor Jayati Bhatia, who was also a part of the same show, is heartbroken: “It took me a long time to process. I met her on December 1st. I hugged her. It’s so lovely to take this step… It’s so lovely to take such a step, my heart goes out to her mother. I want to meet her, but I don’t know how to face her. It’s unimaginable to even think what she must be going through. I’m angry at Tunisha because she had so much potential. I don’t know what was the reason. But I just want to tell all the youngsters that this too shall pass, everything in life can be tackled, but life is too precious. You should talk things out.
Soon, people started tweeting about Sharma. Director Abhishek Kapoor, who directed Sharma in Fitoor (2016), wrote, “Shocked & deeply saddened by the passing away of #tunishasharma . I worked with her on #fitoor she was a young 13 yr old, a gifted & a disciplined actor. someone with a bright future & so much to give as an artist..this is so heartbreaking. May her family find peace. Hari Om (sic).”
Singer comedian Sugandha Mishra tweeted “#TunishaSharma shocking and heart wrenching this unfortunate news of a young talented bful soul gone too soon .. prayers , strength to her family and loved ones #RipTunishaSharma (sic).”
Actor Karan Kundrra wrote, “Shocking and extremely sad.. such a young and promising life gone too soon. I pray to god to give her loved ones strength #TunishaSharma Om Shanti it’s my request to everyone: there’s always light at the end of a dark tunnel never forget (sic).”