Raju Srivastava's birth anniversary: 5 lesser-known facts about comedy king
The undisputed frontrunner of comedy in India and a pioneer in stand-up comedy, Raju Srivastava left behind a grieving nation when he passed away in September after remaining in the hospital for over 40 days. In his three-decade-long career, he brought endless joy to millions, and his legacy will always live on. On his birth anniversary, let's trace some lesser-known facts about him.
He debuted in Bollywood with 'Tezaab' back in 1988
Gajodhar Bhaiya, as he was fondly called, also had several Hindi films in his oeuvre. He stepped into the industry in 1988 with Anil Kapoor-Madhuri Dixit starrer Tezaab. After doing a small role in Tezaab, he progressed rapidly from thereon and bagged roles in Maine Pyar Kiya (1989), Baazigar (1993), Mr. Azaad (1993), and Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon (2003), among several others.
Did you know he had a prolonged role in 'Shaktimaan'?
Srivastava carved a niche for himself on the small screen through his stand-ups, observational, desi comedy, and participation in comedy shows across channels. However, a jack of all trades, he has some other credits to his name, which afforded him stardom much before comedy did. Notably, he was part of the superhero show Shaktimaan from 1998-2005 and also participated in Bigg Boss in 2009.
He fostered two kids who lost their parents to COVID-19
Srivastava's humanitarian aspect rose to the surface when he decided to take two orphan kids under his wing post-pandemic. Tragically left to scour for crumbs by their relatives, Srivastava took care of the educational and other expenses of the girls—Khushi and Pari. Upon hearing about them through the state general secretary of All India Industries Board, Gyanesh Mishra, Srivastava came forward to help them.
The comedian-actor moved to Mumbai in the 1980s
The seeds of Srivastava's aspirations to become an actor/comedian were sown in his childhood, mainly after he realized his penchant for mimicry. Hailing from Kanpur, he moved to the city of dreams, Mumbai, in the 1980s to try his mettle and luck in showbiz. From mimicking Amitabh Bachchan at small-scale shows to driving an autorickshaw to support himself financially, Srivastava persevered through it all.
Served as UP Film Development Council chief
Srivastava commenced his political journey with Samajwadi Party and later transitioned to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2014. The comedian was appointed as the brand ambassador of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in 2014. In 2019, the Uttar Pradesh government appointed him as the chairman of the state's Film Development Council. He often identified himself as a "BJP man."
