Lights, camera, goodbye

Close friend Vaquar Shaikh remembers his time with late Anupamaa actor

I am sure everyone will remember his bright smile,” reminisces Vaquar Shaikh about actor Rituraj Singh, 59, who passed away early Tuesday morning after a heart attack. The two began their association from 1993 with the show, Banegi Apni Baat. “He was much senior to me when I joined Banegi Apni Baat. He was already a star, and we were besotted by him and his performance. Here was a guy, who had just entered the industry, yet he was already doing game shows, movies, and TV shows. We all looked up to him,” says Shaikh, adding that it was not just his performance, but the way Singh conducted himself among his peers and juniors that won hearts. “He never let me feel like a newbie on set. I remember having friendly banter and rehearsing lines on set with him. Ritz was always up for [rehearsals], and often gave us tips on how to perform. He was an extremely knowledgeable guy. Ask him about cinema, politics, the camera, acting, method acting, or anything happening in the world, he was well-updated. He had the gift of the gab, was spontaneous, and full of energy.”

Vaquar Shaikh

However, what Shaikh admired the most about his close friend was that despite more than three deacdes in the industry, Singh continued to challenge himself and take on diverse roles, earning appreciation for his ability to stay relevant in an evolving industry.  “When he crossed his 50s, the kind of work he kept doing, especially in the last five-six years, is mind-blowing. He managed to adapt and stay relevant. He transformed himself to fit different age categories. It’s difficult for senior actors to get noticed. So many actors fade away with time, but he was always doing something or the other. It is so unreal to talk about him in the past tense,” mourns Shaikh, who played his younger brother in Rupali Ganguly-starrer Anupamaa.

Singh’s illustrious career included interesting roles, like popular TV shows Tehkikaat, Kutumb, Jyoti, Beintehaa, and most recently, Anupamaa. He was also seen in film and web series, including Made in Heaven, Indian Police Force, and Yaariyan 2. 

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