Looking at Raju Srivastava's career growth: From comedy to politics
Comedian, actor, and politician—Raju Srivastava had several feathers on his hat, and he aced each role with equal aplomb and dedication. The 58-year-old passed away after suffering a heart attack last month. He had been receiving treatment at AIIMS, New Delhi, where he breathed his last, per reports. As we mourn the loss, let's look at Srivastava's life through his career graph.
Son of noted poet, Srivastava mastered mimicry at young age
Srivastava hailed from Kanpur where he lived with his family. His father Ramesh Chandra Srivastava was a noted Hindi poet who was famously known as Balai Kaka. The popular comedian found his skills way back as a child when he would enjoy mimicry and impersonating personalities like megastar Amitabh Bachchan. Becoming a comedian was a dream for him right from a very young age.
He went from Big B's look-alike to 'Shaktiman's Durandhar Singh
Copying Big B's mannerisms to the T helped Srivastava begin his Bollywood career where he gained notice as Bachchan's look-alike. He appeared in small roles in Hindi films like Baazigar, Maine Pyar Kiya, and Qatil. Later, he scored more prominent roles in the film Aamdani Atthanni Kharcha Rupaiya and as Durandhar Singh in Shaktiman. Ultimately, he found his turning point 20 years later.
'The Great Indian Laughter Challenge' truly changed his life
Establishing himself in the entertainment industry in the 1980s, Srivastava rose to fame after he participated in Season 1 of the stand-up comedy show The Great Indian Laughter Challenge. He emerged as the second runner-up after Sunil Pal and Ahsaan Qureshi. After this, there was no turning back. Srivastava appeared in several comedy shows alongside reality shows like Bigg Boss and Nach Baliye.
Looking at the comedian-actor's political stint
In 2014, the Samajwadi Party selected Srivastava for the Lok Sabha elections but he returned the ticket due to less support from local units. He joined the Bharatiya Janata Party the same year. After getting nominated by PM Narendra Modi, he became one of the brand ambassadors for the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. He also was the chairperson of the Film Development Council Uttar Pradesh.
