Sulakshana Pandit death: Actress once asked superstar to marry her in a temple, but was refused. Biographer reveals: 'He did not want…'

Veteran actress and playback singer Sulakshana Pandit passed away on November 6 following a sudden cardiac arrest, leaving behind a legacy filled with memorable performances and haunting melodies. She began her cinematic journey with the 1975 film Uljhan, where she starred opposite Sanjeev Kumar, and soon became a familiar face in Indian cinema during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Over the years, she appeared in notable films such as Sankoch (1976), Hera Pheri, Apnapan, Khandaan, and Waqt Ki Deewar. Her expressive acting and melodious singing made her one of the most admired artists of her time.

Despite her promising career, Sulakshana gradually withdrew from the spotlight. Reports suggested that her emotional world had been deeply shaken after the untimely death of actor Sanjeev Kumar, with whom she was rumored to share a close bond. The two had been linked after Sanjeev’s proposal to Hema Malini was turned down, sparking stories that Sulakshana and he had developed an affectionate relationship.

However, biographer Hanif Zaveri, author of An Actor’s Actor: The Authorized Biography of Sanjeev Kumar, clarified that their connection was not romantic in the way people believed. Accompanied by Sanjeev’s niece, Jigna Shah, Zaveri stated in an interview that while Sanjeev had earlier been involved with actresses Nutan and Hema Malini, his relationship with Sulakshana remained one-sided. She deeply loved him and once even took him to a temple, hoping he would fill her hairline with vermilion in a symbolic marriage ritual. Sanjeev declined, aware of his fragile health and unwilling to tie someone’s future to his uncertain life.

"Sulakshana unko mandir mein leke gayi ke meri maang mein sindoor bhardo (She took him to the temple to get married), but he refused. Because he was aware that he would not survive for long and felt like he did not want to spoil someone's life," he revealed.

When Sanjeev passed away in 1985 at just 47, Sulakshana was heartbroken. Soon after, her mother’s death added to her grief, plunging her into emotional turmoil. The consecutive losses left her devastated, prompting her retreat from films and public life. Years later, she reflected that these tragedies had taken a severe toll on her mental and physical health, leaving her unable to recover fully. Sulakshana never married and lived a reclusive life. In 2006, her sister Vijayta Pandit and brother-in-law, music composer Aadesh Shrivastava, brought her home to care for her and help her heal from the deep wounds of her past.