Just like shooting stars disappear all too soon in the night sky, many beloved artists and stars of the Indian entertainment left the world too soon this year.
Whether it be with the shocking death of Sushant Singh Rajput, the sad demise of Rishi Kapoor and Irrfan Khan, or the recent passing of Asif Basra, Bollywood found itself reeling from scandals under a pall of gloom.
The debate around mental health in the entertainment industry and the dark side of Bollywood has been ongoing since the death of Rajput. While the matter got murkier with drug abuse and trafficking stories, the alleged suicide of Asif Basra has brought the focus back on the pressures and unhealthy atmosphere within the Bollywood industry.
The prolific actor, who was last seen in the Amazon Prime Video’s web series Pataal Lok, was found hanging on the first floor of his Dharamshala private complex. He had leased the house for the past five to six years and was living there with his British girlfriend.
Basra, known for his roles in Outsourced, Pataal Lok, Kai Po Chhe and Krissh 3 was perceived as a jovial and carefree person. So the sudden news of his death shook the industry. Basra is described as a brilliant actor and a happy, amicable person who loved living in the hills and was passionate about acting. For someone as lively as Basra, an extreme step like suicide is still hard to believe.
After the news of his death broke, the Bollywood industry expressed its condolences for the late actor on social media. Those who had worked with him expressed much shock over the reported manner of his death.
The director of Hostages season 2, a web series Asif was a part of, said that no one thought Basra could take such a drastic step as he always looked content with his life, beautifully straddling the peaceful mountains around Dharamshala and the city of Mumbai where he used to only come for work. The director recalls that he had tried to stay in touch with the actor following the release of Hostages season 2, but was unable to reach him.
Born in the town of Amravati in 1967, Basra was a 90s theatre proponent who later forayed into films and became successful. He was not a conventional choice for a leading role, but he had an expressive face that suited any character he was given to play. He had the ability to get into the skin of a character and portray it with impressive accuracy that made him a favourite among directors for character roles. Basra was more of an art cinema actor than commercial film star and his most memorable performances remain Black Friday, Once Upon a Time in Mumbai and Kai Po Chhe. His last appearance was in Pataal Lok. While a second season of the famous web series is planned, viewers will miss Asif on screen.
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