Source TOI
MUMBAI: The Indian film industry is mourning the tragic loss of actor Ananya Raj, who passed away at the young age of 27. Best known for her work in Bollywood films such as 7 Hours to Go and Ghost, as well as regional hits like Thaggede Le, the actress died peacefully in her sleep on July 15. The news of her passing was kept private and officially shared by her family on social media a month later, on August 15.
According to the official statement released by her family on her Instagram account, Ananya had been battling severe physical and mental health issues for over a year.
“This is Ananya’s family. With great pain, we have to announce that Ananya passed away in the wee hours of 15th July,” the heartbreaking note read. “She passed away peacefully in sleep. For over a year she was going through physical and mental discomfort. And she fought like a warrior to overcome them.”
Remembering her vibrant personality, the family’s statement continued, “She was a strong-spirited girl and lived like a Queen. Bachcha, your absence will be dearly felt. We urge all of you to pray for her soul. And in these trying times, we wish to maintain privacy and quietude.”
Growing up in Mumbai, Ananya Raj carved out her own space in the competitive entertainment industry. She made her Bollywood debut in 2016 with the film 7 Hours to Go and went on to appear in The Final Exit (2017) and Vikram Bhatt’s Ghost (2019). Apart from her cinematic roles, Ananya became a familiar face in the independent music space, featuring in several popular music videos that helped expand her fan base.
Her talent was not confined to Hindi cinema alone. Ananya successfully crossed over into regional industries, delivering a notable performance in the 2022 Telugu suspense thriller Thaggede Le, directed by Srinivas Raju, where she shared the screen with actors Naveen Chandra, Divya Pillai, and P. Ravi Shankar. She was also part of the trilingual project Madrasi Gang.
Fans and industry colleagues have since taken to social media to express their shock and offer their condolences, remembering Ananya as a talented and resilient artist gone too soon.
