'Heeramandi' actor Shekhar Suman reveals his career suffered after the death of his 11-year-old son Aayush, says, 'lost a part of my heart when he went away'

Shekhar Suman enjoyed a thriving acting career, collaborating with renowned actresses such as Rekha, Juhi Chawla, Dimple Kapadia, and Padmini Kolhapure. However, his world turned upside down upon learning of his son's terminal illness.

Veteran actor Shekhar Suman, who is seen as a nawab in Heeramandi, recently spoke about a very tough time in his life. He opened up about the loss of his elder son, Aayush, who passed away at the age of 11 due to a heart ailment. The tragic incident deeply affected his life and career.

Shekhar Suman has had a successful career in acting, working with top actresses like Rekha, Juhi Chawla, Dimple Kapadia, and Padmini Kolhapure. However, everything changed when he found out his son was terminally ill. This news came as a huge blow, and he felt as if his career, his life, and everything he valued were coming to an end.

During a conversation with Bollywood Bubble, he shared, “There came a low phase when nothing was working. That’s when the struggle started, and it worsened when I discovered in 1989 that my son was terminally ill. That was the end of me, that was the end of my career, I thought that was the end of my life, family, everything. For each day that passed, I sat next to my son, holding him in my arms thinking, ‘One day he is going to go away.'”

The grief started even before his son passed away. Shekhar and his family were in pain for years, knowing that Aayush had only a limited time to live. Despite being given eight months by the doctors, Aayush lived for only four. Reflecting on this period, Shekhar said, “We were crying for years before he went away. He was given eight months time, he survived for four. Those were the most trying times of my life. I have been through a lot, seen a lot, but I have gratitude to God, to people who have helped me. But life goes on. There is no bigger tragedy for a parent than to lose your child.”

In another interview, he expressed the depth of his sorrow, “I lost a part of my heart, who was dearest to me. I cried while beating my head to the ground. I didn’t want to live after that. I was lifeless. The world was a façade where I would smile and laugh, either for appearances or out of economic necessity because I had to run my household.”

Despite these hardships, Shekhar Suman has continued his career in acting and is now seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi on Netflix. This show also stars his second son, Adhyayan Suman. Sharing the screen with his son in this project might be a comforting experience for Shekhar, as he finds a way to move forward while honoring the memory of his lost son.v