MUMBAI: Indian actress Ananya Raj has died at the age of 27, with her family confirming the news weeks after her death and asking fans to respect their privacy as they mourn her loss.
In a statement shared through the actress’s official Instagram account, the family said Raj died in her sleep in the early hours of July 15. She had been facing physical and mental difficulties for more than a year, according to the statement.
The family described Raj as a strong-willed person who had fought bravely to overcome the challenges she faced and appealed to her fans to remember her in their prayers.
A promising career cut short
Ananya Raj, who was raised in Mumbai, entered the entertainment industry through films and music videos.
She made her Hindi-film debut in 2016 with ‘7 Hours to Go‘, in which she was credited as Ananya Sengupta. Ananya subsequently appeared in ‘The Final Exit’ in 2017 and ‘Ghost‘ in 2019.
She also ventured into regional cinema, including the Telugu film ‘Thaggede Le‘, while ‘Madrasi Gang‘ was being made as a trilingual project in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi.
Raj had spoken in a 2022 interview about her ambitions in South Indian cinema and her upcoming projects.
News of her death has prompted tributes from sections of the Indian film industry, with the All Indian Cine Workers Association also paying tribute to the actress.
Her family has requested fans and the media to give them privacy during this difficult period.
