Vivek Shauq dies of heart attack

The Deol family, busy promoting their latest film, was plunged into mourning when comic actor Vivek Shauq, who has featured in several films with the Deols, passed away of a heart attack on Monday (Jan 10).

Just 48 years old, Vivek, best remembered as Sunny Deol's bum-chum in Gadar, came to a sudden end on Monday morning.

Bobby Deol, with whom Vivek worked in a number of films, was too distraught to speak. Sunny, who worked with Vivek in Maa Tujhe Salaam, Indian, Champion and Gadar said, "This has come as a complete shock out of nowhere. We were so looking forward to the release of our film Yamla Pagla Deewana. This tragedy has clouded our excitement completely."

Sunny seemed unaware of details of Vivek's death. However, Raj Babbar's son Aarya Babbar, who has worked closely with Vivek said, "He died of a heart attack all of a sudden. I had met him about 20 days ago when he had come to see my mother's (Nadira Babbar) show. He was absolutely fine. Vivek was with me in my debut film as well as in our other home production Kaash Aap Hamare Hote which launched my sister Juhi."

Vivek, a popular Punjabi and Hindi actor is survived by his wife and three young children. Says Aarya, "His daughters are teenagers and his son is even younger. It's such a sad thing to happen to a man who always made everyone laugh."