Samir was a fighter, not someone who would give up, says actor-friend Avinash Sachdev
Neha Maheshwri & Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; August 7, 2020)

The television industry woke up to another shocking news on Thursday, with the alleged suicide of actor Samir Sharma, 44. He was found hanging from the kitchen ceiling in his Malad (West) flat on Wednesday night. According to the police, Samir had rented the apartment in February, this year. Apparently, the building security guard found the actor’s body hanging during his night stroll and alerted everyone. The police suspect that he had died two days earlier. They have registered a case of accidental death and the body has been sent for autopsy.

Samir got divorced a few years ago, and was living alone in Mumbai. He was currently a part of the TV show, Yeh Rishtey Hain Pyaar Ke and had worked in popular shows like Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii and Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Jyoti and Iss Pyar Ko Kya Naam Doon Ek Baar Phir. He was also seen in movies like Hasee Toh Phasee and Tamasha. Actor Sidharth Malhotra shared a still from Hasee Toh Phasee on Instagram and wrote, “Really sad and unfortunate.”

SAMIR HAD TOLD ME THAT HE FEELS BLESSED TO HAVE BOUNCED BACK FROM A BAD PHASE: AVINASH
Originally from Delhi, Samir moved to Bengaluru for a few years after his education. There, he worked for an ad agency and later an IT company, before coming to Mumbai to try his luck in showbiz. People who knew Samir are shocked and can’t believe that he took such an extreme step. His friend and co-actor from Iss Pyar Ko Kya Naam Doon Ek Baar Phir, Avinash Sachdev, told BT, “I was in touch with him through the lockdown.”

Avinash said, “Just two weeks ago, we were chatting via voice notes. He was talking about how he feels blessed to have bounced back from a bad phase in life, which he fought successfully a couple of years ago. He had gone through a rough patch when he fell ill and was hospitalised in Bengaluru. After his recovery, his parents were averse to him returning to Mumbai, but he came back and rented an apartment not too far from my residence. In fact, on Wednesday night, I had passed through his lane and saw two fire brigades and a police van outside the building. I checked with another friend, who told me that someone had died by suicide. Yesterday, I got to know that it was Sam. I am still shaken up and can’t come to terms with it. Sam was a fighter, not someone who would give up. Just 15 days ago, he was in Lonavala and he had told me that he wanted to step out.”

His industry friends also remember him as a creative person, who was interested in music and also wanted to get into production of TV shows. His actor-friend Gautam Chaturvedi revealed, “Samir was always buzzing with ideas. And along with acting, he wanted to produce music and start a channel online. On July 27, he texted me and asked me to call him, but my sister was unwell and so, I told him that I would connect later. And today, after hearing the news of his demise, I am shocked and numb. I wish we had connected that day.”

Pooja Joshi, who played his wife on Yeh Rishtey Hain Pyaar Ke, also describes Samir as a creative person. She recalled, “When he would get a break during the shoot, he would be on his phone, making videos and writing. Unko likhne ka bohot shauq tha. One always saw him with a smile on his face.”
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As the television industry mourns Samir Sharma's demise, co-star, friend Avinash Sachdev on how he was in touch with Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon actor throughout lockdown
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; August 7, 2020)

Actor, writer, poet and one with a ready smile — that's how Samir Sharma's friends knew him. The news of his death by suicide sent shockwaves in the television industry yesterday. Actor Geetanjali Tikekar, who shared screen space with Sharma in Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon?...Ek Baar Phir, says she woke up to the news last morning. "Sam was one of my closest friends in the industry. In fact, he was closer to my husband [Sikandar Kharbanda]."

From recommending web series to one another, to discussing matters of the heart, Tikekar reveals that the two were constantly in touch during the past few months. "He was vocal about mental health, and we would often discuss how we were dealing with the lockdown. If he had a problem, Sam wouldn't be discreet about it. He used to share everything with us. He was one of the kindest souls, and a talented artiste," says Tikekar, adding that he shared a deep bond with her 12-year-old son, Shaurya.

Sharma made his television debut with Star One's Dil Kya Chahta Hai in 2005 and subsequently bagged a role in Ekta Kapoor's popular show Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii. Avinash Sachdev, who grew close to Sharma during the shoot of Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon.., describes him as an eternal optimist. Remembering their last conversation on July 22, Sachdev says, "He told me he felt blessed for the work coming his way. He [conducted a session of] Instagram live, where he discussed positivity. In the seven years I've known him, he never mentioned monetary [difficulty] or any other issues. He wanted to meet me to discuss a new story that he was working on." In his 15-year career, the actor also dabbled in movies, including Hasee Toh Phasee (2014), Tamasha (2015) and Ittefaq (2017).

Sharma, 44, was found hanging in the kitchen of his Malad residence on Wednesday night. Kaveri Priyam, who played his daughter on Yeh Rishtey Hain Pyaar Ke, says, "This is unexpected. He would often share his insights on acting, and I learnt a lot from him."

The sagas that had redefined Indian TV, now hope to win audiences all over again
Sangeeta Yadav (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 14, 2020)

Agreat strategy or crisis management — reruns of phenomenally popular mythological shows Mahabharat and Ramayan or sitcoms Dekh Bhai Dekh and Shrimaan Shrimati during the Coronavirus lockdown are proving to be quite the game-changer on TV. Now, with Balika Vadhu the latest to return, many feel getting back iconic saas bahu sagas such as Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii, Kasautii Zindagi Kay and Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, among others, will boost TRPs.

Producer Rajan Shahi feels good shows will resonate whenever they air. “If we bring back saas-bahu shows which started a new phase on Indian TV, broadcasters can cash in on the popularity again,” he says.

Avika Gor, aka the young Anandi of Balika Vadhu, is overwhelmed as her show returns. “It was a one-of-its kind show, and each episode had a message that made a difference,” she says.

Actors who became a household name with these shows also feel it’s a great idea to bring them back.

Urvashi Dholakia aka Komolika of Kasautii... feels people will love to go down memory lane. Other than her show, she says, “I’d also like to see Kahaani... because I love Sakshi Tanwar’s acting and the whole cast was perfect. Even Ghar Ek Mandir and Mehndi Tere Naam Ki were very relatable and the characters beautifully etched.” Echoing the sentiment, Hiten Tejwani of Kyunki... says, “All these shows hold a great recall value and will definitely get a good audience. Even the current generation will be able to connect.”

Though the popular sitcoms are doing well on screen, getting daily soaps back “involves calculative risk”, points out scriptwriter Gajra Kottary. “Most of these are long-running shows and once the lockdown is over, the new shows would be back. Balika Vadhu for instance, went on for eight years, so it will club two episodes and air for an hour daily. So, some broadcasters are playing it safe by going for shows with shorter episodes,” Kottary adds.