Anupamaa, Om Shanti Om actor Nitesh Pandey dies of cardiac arrest

Nitesh's demise has left the entertainment industry in mourning, and celebrities are now paying their heartfelt tributes to the late actor

Television actor Nitesh Pandey, who is known for his roles in Om Shanti Om and Star Plus show Anupamaa, passed away at 51. He suffered a cardiac arrest in Igatpuri, Maharashtra.

"TV actor Nitesh Pandey was found dead at a hotel in Igatpuri, Nashik, Maharashtra. Prima facie, the cause of death seems to be a heart attack. A police team was present at the hotel, and an investigation is underway. A postmortem report is awaited. Questioning of hotel staff and people close to him is being done," news agency ANI reported.

Nitesh worked in the entertainment industry for nearly 25 years, mostly in television, theatre, and film. He began his career in theatre in the early 1990s and went on to appear in several television shows. He appeared in shows such as Tejas, Manzilein Apani Apani, Saaya, Astitva Ek Prem Kahani, Justajoo, and Durgesh Nandini. He also had a production house.

His most well-known films include Badhaai Do, Om Shanti Om, and Khosla Ka Ghosla, among others. His latest television performances were in Anupamaa and Pyar Ka Dard Hai Meetha Meetha Pyara Pyara.

His demise has left the industry in mourning, and celebrities are now paying their heartfelt tributes to the late actor.

TV actor Deven Bhojani tweeted, "This can’t be true, but it is. Friend, colleague, and talented actor Nitesh Pandey died of cardiac arrest at 2 am today in Igatpuri. Rest in peace, Nitesh #Actor #Anupama."
 

He also released a statement that read, "The day began with two really sad news. Deaths of two very talented people. Had opportunities to direct both of them. Vaibhavi Upadhyay as Jasmine in Sarabhai vs Sarabhai and Nitesh Pandey in a mythological show on Star Network. Vaibhavi met with an accident last evening in North India, and Nitesh passed away today at 2 am due to cardiac arrest in Igatpuri. Life can be so unpredictable. May God bless their souls."
 

Actor Rajeshwri Sachdev also mourned his demise and tweeted, "#NiteshPandey … gone too soon! Shocking! Rest in eternal peace."
 

Indian Film and Television Directors’ Association (IFTDA) president Ashoke Pandit called Nitesh's demise a "great loss to the film and TV industry".

His mortal remains will be brought to Mumbai on Wednesday, where his last rites will be performed. He is survived by his wife, Arpita Pandey.