Veteran actor-singer Sulakshana Pandit dies at 71

Veteran actor and playback singer Sulakshana Pandit, known for movies like "Uljhan" and "Chehre Pe Chehra", died on Thursday due to cardiac arrest, brother Lalit Pandit confirmed the news. She was 71. Sulakshana was being taken to Nanavati hospital when she breathed her last. She passed away due to cardiac arrest around 7 pm. Sulakshana, sister to the iconic composer duo Jatin-Lalit and actress Vijayta Pandit, was an integral part of the Hindi film and music industry through the 1970s and 1980s. Her charm and versatility as both a singer and actress earned her immense respect in the entertainment world.

She began her acting career in 1975 with the suspense thriller Uljhan, opposite Sanjeev Kumar. The film was a success and marked the beginning of a prolific phase for the actress. Over the next decade, she appeared in several successful films including Sankoch, Apnapan, Hera Pheri, Khandaan, Chehre Pe Chehra, Dharam Kanta, and Waqt Ki Deewar. She also ventured into Bengali cinema with Bandie (1978), opposite the legendary Uttam Kumar, earning appreciation for her performance.

Sulakshana Pandit left an indelible mark on Indian music. She made her singing debut as a child alongside Lata Mangeshkar in Taqdeer (1967) with the song Saat Samundar Paar Se. She went on to record several memorable tracks through the 1970s and 1980s, collaborating with industry stalwarts such as Kishore Kumar, Hemant Kumar, and Laxmikant-Pyarelal. Some of her most loved songs include Tu Hi Sagar Hai (Sankoch), Bandhi Re Kahe Preet (Sankoch), and Beqarar Dil Tu Gaye Ja (Door Ka Rahi). Apart from Hindi, she also lent her voice to songs in Bengali, Marathi, Oriya, and Gujarati, showcasing her linguistic and musical versatility.