Actress-VJ Sophiya Haque passes away in London

Actress Sophiya Haque, best known for her stint as a video jockey on MTV, passed away in London on Thursday morning. According to sources, she was diagnosed with cancer and had been admitted to a London hospital for treatment for close to a week. After a successful stint as a VJ, Sophiya tried her hand in acting and appeared in a film called 'Snip'. The actress also dabbled in modelling and appeared in a song in 'Mangal Pandey'.

Born in Portsmouth to a Bangladeshi father and a British mother, Haque had moved to Mumbai in 1997 to try her luck in films and became a well known VJ. She moved back to London in 2002 and featured in Andrew Lyod Webber's Bombay Dreams and took a leading role in the musical adaptation of The Far Pavilions.

The news of her demise was first tweeted by one of her close friends. Soon, several celebrities expressed shock and grief over her untimely demise on the micro blogging site.

Pooja Bhatt: Tragic news about Sophiya Haque. One of the most gorgeous women to have walked this planet... Shine on where-ever it is you now are luv...(sic)

Derek O'Brien: Sophia Haque was my guest on the Bournvita Quiz Contest in the mid 1990s... Vivacious,sexy,articulate.Gone too soon(sic)

Lisa Ray: RIP Sophia Haque, my beautiful, vivacious old friend. (sic)

Vishal Dadlani: RIP Sophiya Haque, who along with Danny McGill + Nonie, started a revolution as India's first VJ's on MTV.They were proper megastars in '93. (sic)

R Madhavan: RIP..Sophiya Haque, 1 of early VJ's in MTV, Cadbury model.Cannot forget her in "September Madathil in Alaipayuthe.Shocked and Saddened.(sic)

Kabir Bedi: Saddened by the passing of Sophiya Haque, friend & talented actress, who I acted with in "Far Pavilions", London West End.(sic)