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News18
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Sushant Singh Rajput Carried A Telescope To Chambal, Showed Co-Stars The Moon
Last Updated: Sushant Singh Rajput's co-stars recalled his love for astronomy—carrying a telescope to sets, showing them stars, and sharing celestial conversations. There are some people who live life not just to exist, but to explore, to learn, and to love—quietly and with intensity. Sushant Singh Rajput was one such soul. More than just an actor, he was a seeker—of knowledge, of meaning, of wonder. While the world came to know him through the glowing screen, portraying characters that etched themselves into cinematic memory, those closest to him knew him as someone who was always reaching for the stars—literally and metaphorically. Rising to fame with his television debut in Pavitra Rishta, Sushant quickly transitioned to films, delivering unforgettable performances in Kai Po Che, MS Dhoni: The Untold Story, Sonchiriya, and Chhichhore. But beyond the accolades and blockbuster success, there existed a deeply curious man with a mind that refused to settle for the ordinary. Few may know that Sushant ranked 7th in the highly competitive AIEEE exam in 2003 and was pursuing mechanical engineering at Delhi College of Engineering before the arts claimed his heart. But engineering, as he once said in an interview, was never truly his calling. 'Engineering wasn't my choice. I wanted to be an astronaut, and later, an Air Force pilot. I remember tearing up my Top Gun poster when my parents told me that was not going to happen," he had confessed. That moment, steeped in teenage rebellion and crushed dreams, would mark the beginning of a life that danced between stardom and science, storytelling and stargazing. Before he became a household name, Sushant began his journey in entertainment as a background dancer. In a blink-and-miss moment in Dhoom 2, he can be spotted grooving behind Hrithik Roshan. That passion and perseverance took him places, but it never dimmed his love for the cosmos. Sushant's love for astronomy was no secret. He owned a powerful telescope and often spoke about black holes, quantum physics, and distant galaxies. Friends and co-stars often recalled evenings spent at his home, where he would excitedly introduce them to celestial wonders. Shraddha Kapoor, his Chhichhore co-star, remembered being moved to tears after he showed her the moon through his telescope. 'I was so speechless that I could see its exquisite beauty up close," she wrote after his passing. 'He saw things through a kaleidoscopic lens." That same passion spilled into his conversations and relationships. Jacqueline Fernandez once called him a 'genius," saying he would constantly recommend books and authors, often peppering their chats with scientific curiosity. Manoj Bajpayee, who worked with him on Sonchiriya, shared that Sushant's mind was always teeming with questions—about space, philosophy, filmmaking, and existence itself. 'He was always curious to learn about everything—the unknown, space, about quantum physics, about acting, about filmmaking," Manoj told IANS. To those who worked closely with him, he was more than a co-actor. He was an inspiration, a puzzle, a teacher, and a dreamer. Sara Ali Khan, who starred opposite him in Kedarnath, penned a heartfelt tribute on the film's fourth anniversary. 'I would do anything to go back to August 2017, learn so much from Sushant about music, films, books, life, acting, stars, and the sky… He is up there right by his favourite moon, shining like the bright star he always was and always will be." Bhumi Pednekar, his Sonchiriya co-star, shared how he had promised to show her the stars—something she had brushed off at first as a cheesy line. But Sushant, true to form, brought out his telescope on set and introduced her to the cosmos: Saturn, Jupiter, and the red-tinted moon. 'You took us to the moon and back," she wrote. 'You genius will live on with all the work you have done, and through that telescope I will spot you again." Even veteran actor Ashutosh Rana recalled being awestruck when Sushant carried a telescope to the rugged landscapes of Chambal during the filming of Sonchiriya. It wasn't for show—it was simply who he was. Whether on a film set or in the stillness of a forest, he carried his stars with him. Sushant Singh Rajput passed away on June 14, 2020. But the stories he left behind—of his brilliance, kindness, and insatiable thirst for knowledge—continue to orbit our collective memory. His was a mind that found joy in both the smallest things and the vastest mysteries. He reminded us that it's okay to dream wildly, to be different, to question, and to chase things bigger than ourselves. First Published: June 14, 2025, 19:57 IST
Indian Express
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Sushant Singh Rajput promised to show the stars to his co-actors, carried a telescope to Chambal: ‘He's up there right by his favourite moon'
Sushant Singh Rajput was one of the most loved actors of his generation in the Hindi film industry. He rose to fame with his television show Pavitra Rishta but his films like MS Dhoni: The Untold Story, Sonchiriya brought him a lot of critical acclaim. While he was undoubtedly a celebrated actor, he also excelled at academics as he got the seventh rank at AIEEE exams conducted nationwide in 2003. While he became an actor, he had a lot of passion for astronomy and loved watching the stars. In an interview with Hindustan Times, Sushant Singh Rajput had shared, 'Engineering wasn't my choice. I wanted to be an astronaut, and later, an Air Force pilot. I remember tearing up my Top Gun poster when my parents told me that was not going to happen. Apparently, I was going to be an engineer. Maybe the drama I did that day should've given everyone a clue! But truly, I was gutted…' In his early days in the entertainment industry, he worked as a background dancer and was seen dancing behind Hrithik Roshan in the song 'Dhoom Again' in Dhoom 2. While he relentlessly pursued his passion as an actor, his love for astronomy never subsided. After Sushant Singh Rajput's death on June 14, 2020. His Chhichhore co-star Shraddha Kapoor took her Instagram handle to share a long note about her bond with the Pavitra Rishta actor. Among the many things, she wrote how he used to be curious about everything around him. 'The conversations we had at shoot about the cosmos, different philosophies, the moments we spent together, were filled with magical wonderment! During a lovely musical and poetry filled gettogether at his home (he loved music and poetry), he showed me the moon from his telescope and I was so speechless that I could see it's exquisite beauty up close!' She further revealed his love for astronomy, and shared, 'Our Chhichhore gang went to his beautiful home in Pavna, where we were awestruck together with the peace and calm of the nature around us–he loved nature! He saw things through a kaleidoscopic lens and wanted to share that with everyone around him. He was mesmerised by the simplest things and would muse on them in a genius way.' ALSO READ | Kamal Haasan continues to fight against Karnataka govt for banning Thug Life despite its box office failure: 'It violates constitutional rights' Similarly, Jacqueline Fernandez, who starred opposite him in the film Drive shared her memories with the star in a conversation with India Today. She said, 'I looked at him as this genius. He was always telling me which books to read. He would say, 'Oh Jacky, you don't know this. Wait, let me introduce you to this author, let me introduce you to this science.' In a conversation with IANS, Sushant's Sonchiriya co-star Manoj Bajpayee said, 'What I automatically recall about Sushant is how much interest he had about everything in life. He was always curious to learn about everything — the unknown, space, about quantum physics, about acting, about filmmaking.' In another podcast with Mid-Day, Manoj shared the Kai Po Che star was a 'voracious reader' with a 'fantastic mind.' ALSO READ | When Sushant Singh Rajput gave a tour of his unique home, revealed how Shah Rukh Khan influenced him When his film Kedarnath turned 4 in 2022, his co-star Sara Ali Khan penned a long note in his memory. Writing about Sushant, Sara shared on her Instagram, 'I would do anything to back to August 2017, learn so much from Sushant about music, films, books, life, acting, stars and the sky, witness every sunrise, sunset and moonrise.' She added, 'And as the full moon shines bright tonight, I know Sushant is up there right by his favourite moon, shining like the bright star he always was and always will be. From Kedarnath to Andromeda.' His Sonchiriya co-star Bhumi Pednekar too had shared a long note after his death. In her note, she shared, 'The first time we met, you told me you would show me the stars. In my head, I wondered–ya whatever, what a cheese ball. Little did I know you meant every word you said. With a smile full of pride you showed it to us. The massive big black hole, your best friend, your telescope. I was like, wait, what really, you got this here!' She added, 'You took us to the moon and back, I remember the moon being red then. You showed us Saturn, Jupiter, and a million stars. You challenged me to write with my left hand and narrate versus backwards. You challenged me to races and quizzes and it drove me nuts. You spoke of Faraday, Chatelet and tried explaining me Newton's theories through Art. You genius will live on with all the work you have done and through that telescope I will spot you again.' Veteran actor Ashutosh Rana, who was also a part of the critically acclaimed film Sonchirya, recalled in an interview with Bombay Times that Sushant had carried a telescope with him to Chambal during the shoot of Sonchiriya. ALSO READ | Sri Sri Ravi Shankar called Bollywood a haven for 'drugs and alcohol', accused film industry of 'attacking culture of the country' Sushant Singh Rajput was a member of the International Lunar Lands Registry (ILLR), which is a crowd funded program that aims to gather data necessary for human exploration and development of the lunar surface without hampering its natural beauty. His love for astronomy was such that he even bought some land on the moon. In a moving tribute for the actor, US-based astrophysicist and scientist Dr Karan Jani had shared little-known side about the actor a day after his death in 2020. In a long post, Karan shared, 'I had the rare privilege to witness the other side of Sushant – that of a profoundly curious human being who had an impressive reading habit.' He added, 'His social media bio read, 'Photon in a double-slit'. He was indeed like that, living with a duality. With one being a Bollywood star with millions of followers while the other being an honest seeker finding a meaning in this universe. Our 2017 discovery of neutron star collision was the closest to him. It was his dream to one day visit the LIGO observations in the U.S.' Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead in his Mumbai residence on June 14, 2020.
Pink Villa
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Did you Know Sushant Singh Rajput cracked AIEEE with all-India rank that'll surprise you? Cleared 11 other Engineering entrances
Sushant Singh Rajput may no longer be with us, but his memories and remarkable work in the entertainment world are cherished by all his fans. It has been almost 5 years since he passed away, but he still holds a special place in everyone's hearts. SSR was not only a good actor but a brilliant student academically. The Kedarnath star not only secured an All India Rank in the top 10 in the AIEEE exam but also cleared 11 other entrance exams. What was Sushant Singh Rajput's AIR in the AIEEE exam? Sushant Singh Rajput was a bright student from a young age. He had a great interest in Science, Astronomy, and technology. He wanted to pursue Engineering after finishing his schooling and gave several entrance exams for it. Not many are aware that the late Bollywood star secured an All India Rank of 7 in the AIEEE (All India Engineering Entrance Examination). This is a big success for any student and proof that he was indeed gifted. Where did Sushant Singh Rajput pursue his Engineering degree from? Sushant enrolled in an Engineering college, but his passion for acting took over, and he dropped out in the third year, leaving him without a degree. Although he aimed to attend IIT-Delhi or IIT-Mumbai, the actor was unable to gain admission. Hence, he got admitted to the Delhi College of Engineering (DCE). This too is one of the top colleges to pursue Engineering in India, and he chose mechanical engineering as his specialisation. How did his Acting journey start? While he was a student at DCE, Sushant joined Shiamak Davar's dance academy. He danced at several big events, including the Filmfare Awards in 2005 and in 2006 at the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony in Melbourne. After quitting engineering, he moved to Mumbai and joined Barry John's acting school, followed by a two-year stint with Nadira Babbar's Ekjute Theatre Group. Sushant made his TV debut in 2008 with a brief role in Balaji Telefilms' Kis Desh Mein Hai Meraa Dil. And then came his breakthrough show, Pavitra Rishta, which catapulted him to household name status. 2013 was the year he made his big-screen debut.
