Actor Shekhar Suman has opened up about the heartbreaking loss of his 11-year-old son, Aayush, who died in 1995 after battling a rare, incurable heart condition.
Recalling the difficult final days, Shekhar revealed that his wife, Alka Suman, eventually pleaded with doctors to let their son go, unable to bear his suffering any longer.
With Aayush’s condition terminal, Shekhar eventually took up television projects to support his family, including Dekh Bhai Dekh, produced by Jaya Bachchan.
He said his wife, Alka Suman, eventually pleaded with doctors to let Aayush go, unable to bear his suffering any longer.
“His condition worsened so much that at one point, my wife begged the doctors to let him go.
Actor Shekhar Suman has opened up about the heartbreaking loss of his 11-year-old son, Aayush, who died in 1995 after battling a rare, incurable heart condition. Recalling the difficult final days, Shekhar revealed that his wife, Alka Suman, eventually pleaded with doctors to let their son go, unable to bear his suffering any longer. He also remembered Aayush’s final moments, when the young boy spoke of seeing a golden light and recited Sanskrit shlokas.
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In an interview with India Today’s sister channel, The Lallantop, Shekhar recalled how Aayush’s condition, endomyocardial fibrosis (EMF), had turned his family’s life upside down. At the time, the actor was struggling to find work when he learnt about his son’s diagnosis. With Aayush’s condition terminal, Shekhar eventually took up television projects to support his family, including Dekh Bhai Dekh, produced by Jaya Bachchan. He recalled keeping his phone close during shoots so he could stay updated about his son’s health.
Remembering Aayush’s final moments, Shekhar said, “Before his death, he had started reciting Sanskrit shlokas. He was 11. I don’t know how he did it. He said he saw a golden light coming, held my hand and told me, ‘Papa, I don’t want to go. Please save me.’ Then he started reciting some Sanskrit shlokas, and we were flustered,” he said.
The actor also recalled the unbearable pain of watching his son suffer as his condition worsened. He said his wife, Alka Suman, eventually pleaded with doctors to let Aayush go, unable to bear his suffering any longer.
“His condition worsened so much that at one point, my wife begged the doctors to let him go. I told her, ‘What are you saying? We will fight till the end.’ But she said, ‘This is the end. Let him go; he is suffering a lot.’ She was the ‘savvy mother who begged for her son’s death.’ She was right; we couldn’t bear seeing him suffer like that,” Shekhar recalled.
The actor, who was hosting his show Shekhar Tonite, then added that Aayush had love and admiration for everyone, including the family’s driver. “He then told each one of us who were with him at that time, including our driver, that he loved us. He was like an angel; he was a beautiful child. I still don’t know how that tragedy happened to us. But I guess that’s destiny. There’s no bigger tragedy that can befall parents than losing their children,” he said.
Shekhar Suman’s digital talk show, Shekhar Tonite, premiered on May 15, and recently wrapped up its first season. The show marked his return to late-night television and political satire after nearly 14 years, following his popular stint on Movers & Shakers.
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