Raju Srivastava Age, Death, Wife, Children, Family, Biography & More

Bio/Wiki
Birth name	Satya Prakash Srivastava ^[1]The Times of India
Other name	Gajodhar Bhaiya ^[2]The Tribune Note: This was his stage name.
Profession(s)	Comedian, Actor, Politician
Famous for	Becoming the second runner up of the comedy show The Great Indian Laughter Challenge in 2005
Physical Stats & More
Height (approx.)	in centimeters– 170 cm in meters– 1.70 m in feet & inches– 5’ 7”
Eye Colour	Black
Hair Colour	Black
Career
Debut	Film: Tezaab (1988) TV: Dekh Bhai Dekh (1994)
Awards, Honours, Achievements	• 2016: Yash Bharati Award by the Government of Uttar Pradesh • 2016: Award at Gata Rahe Mera Dil- PHD Excellence Awards & Musical Evening • 2017: Dadasaheb Phalke Excellence Award • 2020: Award for one of the top 100 personalities of India
Political Career
Political Party	• Samajwadi Party (2013-2014) • Bharatiya Janata Party (2014-Present)
Political Journey	• In 2013, Samajwadi Party fielded him from the Kanpur Lok Sabha constituency for the 2014 general elections • On 11 March 2014, he returned the Samajwadi Party (SP) Lok Sabha ticket and quit the party, citing he was not getting enough support from the local units of the ruling party. • On 19 March 2014, he joined Bharatiya Janata Party. • In the same year, he was nominated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be a brand ambassador of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in U.P.
Personal Life
Date of Birth	25 December 1963 (Wednesday)
Birthplace	Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh
Date of Death	21 September 2022
Place of Death	AIIMS, Delhi
Age (at the time of death)	58 Years
Death Cause	Cardiac Arrest Note: On 21 September 2022, Raju Srivastava died at New Delhi’s AIIMS, where he had been undergoing treatment for 41 days after he suffered cardiac arrest while working out in a gym in Delhi in August 2022. ^[3]The Hindu
Zodiac sign	Capricorn
Signature
Nationality	Indian
Hometown	Kidwai Nagar, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh
Controversies	Threat calls from Pakistan In 2010, Raju received threat calls from Pakistan in which he was asked by the caller to stop making fun of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and Pakistan in his shows. In 2021, he again received a death threat call from Pakistan in which the caller warned him that he and his family would be killed if he didn’t stop making fun of Pakistan in his shows. The caller also told him that Raju would have to face the same situation as Kamlesh Tiwari, president of Hindu Samaj Party (HSP), who was murdered in his home in Lucknow in 2019. Raju shared a video on Twitter in which he said, When India was attacked by Pakistan and China, I was very angry. My anger flows through comedy. I’m being bullied. My condition will be like that of Kamlesh Tiwari of Lucknow. My children will be killed, but I will speak only about my country. I am working my way up. I was happy when my country’s soldiers carried out surgical strikes.” Thereafter, he registered an FIR in Maharashtra against the caller. He also asked Home Minister Amit Shah to launch an enquiry against the caller. ^[4]India TodaySuing An Unidentified Person For Defamation In 2017, Raju filed a police complaint against an unknown person at Oshiwara police station for defaming him by using his picture with disgraceful jokes about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other members of the BJP which were circulated on social media. ^[5]Mid-day Extortion By a Worker of Samajwadi Yuvjan Sabha In 2019, a person named Rahul, who claimed to be a worker of SP’s Yuvjan Sabha, demanded for Rs. 10 Lakh from Raju after blackmailing him to expose a video in which Raju could be seen romancing a women in his house in Lucknow. Raju sent an application to DGP of Hazratganj OP Singh against Rahul after which the accused was arrested. ^[6]Amar Ujala Double standard of Raju In 2021, Raju received a lot of criticism after he slammed the makers of the web series Tandav. In a video that he posted on social media, he said, How dare you make fun of Hindu deities? I dare you to make shows critiquing other religions. You won’t be able to do because you will be killed. Saif Ali Khan has been supporting this again and again because it’s given that Hindus are kind enough to forgive. But it’s time for stringent action. Merely removing a scene isn’t enough, perpetrators should be punished.” After his criticism, filmmaker Vinod Kapri posted an old video of Raju in which he was seen making fun of lord Brahma.
Relationships & More
Marital Status (at the time of death)	Married
Marriage Date	17 May 1993
Family
Wife/Spouse	Shikha Srivastava (homemaker)
Children	Son– Aayushmaan Srivastava (sitar player) Daughter– Antara Srivastava (film director)
Parents	Father– Ramesh Chandra Srivastava (also known as Balai Kaka) (poet and government employee) Mother– Saraswati Srivastava (homemaker)
Siblings	Brother(s)– 5 Deepu Srivastava (comedian) Sister– Sudha Srivastava
Favourites
Actor	Amitabh Bachchan
TV Shows	Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain! (2015), Happu Ki Ultan Paltan (2019)

Some Lesser Known Facts About Raju Srivastav

Indian comedian, actor, and politician Raju Srivastava achieved the title of second runner-up in the comedy show ‘The Great Indian Laughter Challenge’ in 2005. He gained immense popularity for his portrayal of the character Gajodhar Bhaiya, which he brought to life on the same show. Additionally, he held the position of chairman of the Film Development Council in Uttar Pradesh. Unfortunately, on September 21, 2022, he passed away due to a cardiac arrest at AIIMS in New Delhi. [7] Twitter – ANI

Since childhood, Raju possessed a remarkable talent for mimicry. In school, he would imitate his teachers, which unfortunately resulted in scolding from them as they considered it disrespectful. At home, without a television, Raju would mimic Indira Gandhi by carefully observing her voice on the radio and entertaining his relatives with his accurate imitation.

During an interview, Raju disclosed that when he embarked on his comedy career, his relatives expressed discontentment towards his profession. They frequently lodged complaints with his parents, expressing their disapproval of his choice to amuse others with jokes in various homes. Raju explained that his relatives took offense to his comedic aptitude, believing that children should prioritize their studies rather than engaging in the entertainment industry. They persistently voiced their concerns to his parents, fearing that it would tarnish the family’s reputation. Their opposition stemmed from their lack of familiarity with comedy as an art form.

As a young boy, he developed a deep admiration for Amitabh Bachchan, adopting his hairstyle and adorning his room with posters of the legendary actor. Raju mentioned in an interview that he would often be invited to entertain guests at their family gatherings. Rahul Srivastava’s portrayal of Amitabh Bachchan on The Kapil Sharma Show was truly exceptional.

After receiving Rs. 50 for one of his performances at his neighbor’s house, he made the decision to pursue stand-up comedy as a profession.

Raju Srivastava, upon arriving in Mumbai in 1982, took up a job as a driver to support himself financially. Eventually, he successfully introduced his first audio jokes cassette titled ‘Hasna Mana Hai,’ which quickly gained immense popularity.

Raju Srivastava was seen in various Bollywood films, playing supporting characters in movies like Maine Pyar Kiya (1989), Aamdani Atthani Kharcha Rupaiyaa (2001), Big Brother (2007), Barood: (The Fire) – A Love Story’ (2010), and Toilet: Ek Prem Katha (2017). Additionally, Raju Srivastava was prominently featured in the film ‘Aamdani Atthani Kharcha Rupaiyaa’.

Raju Srivastava was a part of several comedy shows such as The Great Indian Laughter Challenge (2005), Bigg Boss (2009), Comedy Ka Maha Muqabala (2011), and Nach Baliye (2013-2014). He made a memorable appearance on the popular reality show Bigg Boss.

During an interview, Raju Srivastava discussed his role as Gajodhar Bhaiya, revealing that Gajodhar had been his barber during his childhood. Raju Srivastava brings the character of Gajodhar Bhaiya to life on screen.

In 2005, he earned the prestigious title of King of Comedy on The Great Indian Laughter Challenge show.

He achieved fame through his appearances in approximately 500 episodes of the TV series Shaktimaan. His portrayal of Anthony Gonsalves in the film Journey Bombay to Goa: Laughter Unlimited gained him widespread recognition.

During an interview, Raju shared the heartwarming tale of his love story with his wife, Shikha, disclosing that he patiently waited for twelve long years to finally marry her. Their journey began in 1982 at his brother’s wedding in Fatehpur, where Raju instantly fell head over heels for Shikha. Despite his desire to marry her, he struggled to gather the courage to express his love. Consequently, he ventured to Mumbai in pursuit of a career as a comedian. Over the course of several years, Raju faced numerous challenges in the city but never ceased sending letters to Shikha, anxiously awaiting news of her marital status. After persevering through hardships, Raju achieved financial stability and purchased his own house in Mumbai. With newfound confidence, he proposed to Shikha, impressing her brothers and ultimately sealing their marriage.

Raju Srivastava and his wife actively participated in maintaining cleanliness within their society, following their nomination by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan initiative in 2014.

‘PetSaffa’ featured him in a TV commercial during the year 2016.

The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath was approached in 2019 with a proposal to establish a film city in Varanasi. The individual presenting the idea highlighted the benefits of having a film city in Varanasi, including the convenience for young artists who wouldn’t need to venture to Mumbai, as well as the potential to transform the place into a popular tourist attraction. Following the proposal, a 106-acre plot in Varanasi was allocated for the development of the film city.

Raju experienced a heart attack while working out on the treadmill at the Cult gym in Delhi in August 2022. He was swiftly taken to AIIMS, Delhi, where he underwent angioplasty and was then transferred to the Intensive Care Unit. Media reports state that on August 12, 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally contacted Raju’s wife to receive updates on his health.

Following his admission to the hospital, several renowned individuals reached out to his wife, Shikha, offering their assistance in Raju’s treatment. Among the notable personalities who extended their support during this challenging period were Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Raju’s reported brain death on August 18, 2022, was clarified by his manager, stating that he was actually in an unconscious state due to swelling of the brain nerves. Despite medication, Raju remained unresponsive, and injections further caused swelling of specific brain nerves. Medical professionals at AIIMS in New Delhi were actively treating him for this condition. Unfortunately, on September 21, 2022, Raju passed away during his treatment.

Raju Srivastava, the renowned comedian, has sadly departed from this world in Delhi at the age of 58, as confirmed by his family.

After collapsing while working out at the gym, he was admitted to AIIMS Delhi on August 10 due to chest pain.

(File Pic) pic.twitter.com/kJqPvOskb5

On September 21, 2022, ANI tweeted.