Sidharth Shukla 'forcibly sent ₹20,000' to Pratyusha Banerjee's dad during the lockdown

Late actor Sidharth Shukla rose to fame with the television serial Balika Vadhu, in which he essayed the role of Shivraj Shekhar. He was paired opposite the late actor Pratyusha Banerjee, who played the character of Anandi. After Sidharth's death on Thursday, Pratyusha's father Shankar Banerjee has revealed that during the Covid-19 lockdown, Sidharth had 'forcibly sent ₹20,000' to him and his wife, and had also enquired about their well-being.

In a new interview, Pratyusha Banerjee's father said that Sidharth Shukla had been in touch with them after Pratyusha's death in 2016. Shankar added that Sidharth would often ask him over WhatsApp messages if he could help them.

"I can't understand how this happened. I considered him to be my son. During Balika Vadhu, Sidharth and Pratyusha had become close friends. He used to come home as well. After Pratyusha's death, many people talked about the relationship between Sidharth and my daughter, because of which Sidharth had stopped coming home. He often asked me in messages on WhatsApp," India Today quoted Shankar as saying in an interview with AajTak.

Shankar also said, "During this lockdown, he used to constantly message me. I got his last message a couple of months ago. He used to ask in the message 'Uncle, aunty do you need help?', 'Are you guys fine?', 'Can I help in any way?' He had forcibly sent ₹20,000."

Sidharth Shukla died at the age of 40 on Thursday and his last rites took place at the Oshiwara crematorium on Friday afternoon, in the presence of his family, friends and colleagues. The actor's mortal remains left Cooper Hospital around 1.20 pm in a hearse decorated with marigold flowers amid heavy police security.

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Sidharth's mother Rita, rumoured girlfriend Shehnaaz Gill, her brother, as well as actors Aly Goni, Asim Riaz, Paras Chhabra, Mahira Khan, Abhinav Shukla, Jay Bhanushali with wife Mahhi Vij, were among those at the funeral.