Veteran singer and actor Sulakshana Pandit, known for her soulful voice and memorable performances in Hindi cinema, passed away on Thursday, November 6, at the age of 71. The singer breathed her last at Nanavati Hospital in Mumbai after a prolonged illness.Her brother, music composer Lalit Pandit, confirmed the heartbreaking news to mid-day, saying, “She passed away today around 8.00 pm. She suffered cardiac arrest. Her funeral will be tomorrow (November 7) at 12.00 noon.”
From a musical legacy to her rise as a playback singer
Born on July 12, 1954, in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, Sulakshana Pandit hailed from a family deeply rooted in music. She was the niece of legendary classical vocalist Pandit Jasraj and the sister of the music composer duo Jatin-Lalit.Sulakshana began her musical journey at the tender age of nine and made her playback singing debut in 1967. She rose to prominence with her soulful number Tu Hi Sagar Hai Tu Hi Kinara from Sankalp (1975), which earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer.Her duet Saat Samandar Paar Se with Lata Mangeshkar from the film Taqdeer (1967) remains one of her most memorable early works.
Transition to acting: A celebrated face of the 1970s and 1980s
Alongside her singing career, Sulakshana Pandit also carved a niche for herself as an actor. She made her acting debut with Uljhan (1975) opposite Sanjeev Kumar and went on to appear in notable films such as Sankoch (1976), Hera Pheri, Apnapan, Khandaan, and Waqt Ki Deewar.She shared screen space with some of Hindi cinema’s biggest stars, including Rajesh Khanna, Jeetendra, Vinod Khanna, Shashi Kapoor, and Shatrughan Sinha, earning admiration for her graceful screen presence and emotional performances.
Her unfulfilled love story with Sanjeev Kumar
Sulakshana Pandit’s personal life often made headlines for her admiration for Sanjeev Kumar, her co-star from Uljhan. The actress reportedly fell in love with him during the making of the film. However, Sanjeev Kumar was in love with Hema Malini, who declined his proposal.Later, Sulakshana herself expressed her wish to marry Sanjeev Kumar, but he turned her down. Deeply affected, she never married and eventually withdrew from the film industry after his death in 1985.In a poignant coincidence, Sulakshana Pandit passed away on November 6 — the same date Sanjeev Kumar died in 1985.
