Poonam Dhillon on Sulakshana Pandit's demise: 'She had a tough life, deserved far more fame'

Mumbai Nov 7 (IANS) Bollywood veteran actress Sulakshana Pandit passed away on Thursday, November 6, 2025.

The actress’s funeral procession took place in Mumbai this afternoon. Many Bollywood-known faces marked their presence to offer their last respects to the actress. One of them was Bollywood veteran actress Poonam Dhillon.

The actress, while talking to IANS, expressed her grief over her good friend’s passing away. “She was a fine actress and a wonderful singer. She has faced a lot in her life. Initially everything was hunky-dory, but soon after things became worse for her.”

She added, "She deserved a lot more credit and fame for sure. Vijayta Pandit, Jatin-Lalit, and all of them took care of her very well till the very end. I have always told Vijayta that may God bless every human with a sibling like her. I just pray that wherever Sulakshana is, she is at peace.” For the uninitiated, Pandit had been ill for quite a long time and took her last breath at a hospital in Mumbai.

Talking about Sulakshana Pandit, the actress was a star of Bollywood in the 70s. The actress, along with acting in films, was also known for her exceptional singing. Pandit was the sister of actress Vijayta Pandit and music composer duo Jatin-Lalit. She was also the niece of the legendary classical vocalist Pandit Jasraj.

She rose to fame as a singer with her hit song 'Saat Samandar Paar Se' with Lata Mangeshkar from the 1967 movie Taqdeer. She also received a Filmfare Award for the song 'Tu Hi Sagar Tu Hi Kinara' from the film Sankalp in 1976. Pandit made her Bollywood debut as an actress in 1975, with the movie Uljhan. She has also starred in hit movies like Hera Pheri, Waqt Ki Deewar, Apnapan, and Khandaan, amongst others.

In her time in Bollywood, Pandit has worked with superstars including Rajesh Khanna, Jeetendra, Vinod Khanna, Shashi Kapoor, and Shatrughan Sinha. Her final playback song was in Khamoshi: The Musical, released in 1996, which was composed by her brothers Jatin and Lalit.

–IANS

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