Sulakshana Pandit, the celebrated singer and actress of the 1970s, passed away on November 6, 2025, at the age of 71. Her death brought renewed attention to her life’s most painful chapter, her years of isolation and depression. But her sister, Vijayta Pandit, insists the narrative talked about her has long been misunderstood. She spoke about her sister to Spotboye and poured her heart out.
There has long been a cloud of speculation around singer-actress Sulakshana Pandit. For years, gossip framed her as someone shut away from the world, battling a mysterious mental illness, unable to recognise people or step outside her home. The narrative turned her into a tragic figure frozen in the past. But according to her sister, actress and singer Vijayta Pandit, much of that narrative was exaggerated and, in many places, simply untrue.
Vijayta says the truth is both simpler and more painful: Sulakshana struggled with deep, prolonged depression, but she was never “mad.” And today, she is doing far better than the stories circulating about her would suggest.
“For quite some time now, it has been believed that Sulakshna remained locked in her room and did not meet anybody. It was also believed that she is down with some mental illness,” Vijayta said. “I am tired of this question, but good you are asking this now. Her health is fine now.”
The confusion existed because the pain lasted for years. It didn’t go away quickly. When their parents passed away, Sulakshana found herself living alone. The emotional foundation beneath her had already been fragile, and independence didn’t feel liberating—it felt isolating.
“Depression pehle tha, abhi nahin hai,” Vijayta said firmly. “Aur haan, it lasted for many years. But she hadn't gone mad. Our parents passed away. She started living alone and it wasn't easy. Bahut lonely ho gayi thi. It all added up.”
At the heart of her depression was a chapter that Hindi cinema has long romanticized in whispers: her relationship with actor Sanjeev Kumar.
They met as co-stars, worked together, and fell deeply in love. But Sanjeev, who struggled with serious cardiac issues, chose not to marry. He had reportedly explained to Sulakshana that he did not want her to spend her life caring for a man who might leave too soon.
When reminded of rumours that Sanjeev later became drawn to Hema Malini, Vijayta dismissed the speculation gently but clearly. “I don't think so. Sanjeev loved Sulakshna. Bahut pyaar tha dono mein.”
Most people are told to move on, adapt, shift their hearts elsewhere. But emotional wiring doesn’t work the same for everyone.
“It's not just film stars today, but even the common man has learned to move on. Yeh nahin toh woh sahi,” Vijayta said. “However, my sister could not shrug it away. Sulakshna is a very emotional person. Sanjeev's demise added to the depression and shattered her.”
Also Read: Sulakshna Pandit death: Sister Vijayta Pandit breaks down in tears during sister's final rites
Then came physical pain. A hip injury required four surgeries. The healing was slow. The loneliness deepened. The silence stretched.
But the comeback began quietly, at home.
“I rallied around her,” Vijayta said. “I made her stay with me. Even when Aadesh (Shrivastav, husband) was alive, she was staying in my house.”
This was not dramatic movie-style recovery. It was steady companionship. Meals together. Conversation. Routine. Presence.
And now, there is genuine change.
When asked whether Sulakshana recognises people, Vijayta didn’t hide her amusement. “Of course,” she said. “And she even loves to see movies at home.” Recently, she watched Uljhan, the film where she and Sanjeev fell in love. It didn’t break her this time. It simply made her remember.
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