Sushant Singh Rajput’s 5th Death Anniversary: 5 Unforgettable Films That Define His Legacy
From Kai Po Che to Chhichhore, a heartfelt tribute through the actor’s most powerful cinematic moments

Mumbai, June 14:
Hard to believe it’s been five years. You’d think the shock would’ve dulled by now. It hasn’t. Not really. Sushant Singh Rajput, 34, was found dead in his Mumbai apartment on this day in 2020—and since then, nothing’s felt quite the same.
Today, fans light candles, post film stills, quote dialogues. But more than mourning, it’s about remembering. Remembering not just how he left, but what he left behind. The films. The ambition. The mind that didn’t quite fit the industry mold—and didn’t care to.
No Godfather, Just Grit
Patna-born. Delhi-bred. Engineering student who gave it all up for stage lights and storytelling. This was no glossy film-school kid. He started out in background dance troupes—shaking a leg behind stars before becoming one himself.
His first big break came through television. Pavitra Rishta. Daily soap royalty. But even then, he didn’t look like he’d settle there. You could tell—he was always reaching past the frame.
‘Kai Po Che!’ Wasn’t a Safe Debut. That Was the Point.
When Kai Po Che! landed in 2013, it wasn’t the sort of launch film agents dream about. No solo-hero masala, no big banner safety net. Instead, a grounded story about three friends navigating communal politics, cricket, and ambition in Gujarat.
Sushant played Ishaan—a volatile, big-hearted ex-cricketer who couldn’t sit still. The role asked for fire, fragility, and restraint in equal measure. He didn’t just deliver—he owned it. Not with volume, but presence.
You don’t usually walk away from an ensemble film remembering the new guy. This time, people did.
That Dhoni Role? Lightning In A Glove
Then came 2016. And with it, M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story. Playing someone like Dhoni, while the real man was still captaining India in hearts and headlines, wasn’t easy.
But Sushant didn’t go for mimicry. He went for essence. The stillness. The blink-and-miss smile. The weight behind the silences. That bat-swing, that walk, even the post-match calm. For three hours, it wasn’t a performance—it was a parallel life.
The film smashed the box office. But more importantly, it convinced millions he could carry an entire story—and make it personal.
‘Chhichhore’ Hit Differently
In 2019, came a film that, at the time, felt nostalgic. In hindsight, it’s almost prophetic.
Chhichhore was about college life, yes. But really, it was about failure, pressure, second chances. Sushant’s character Anni is a dad trying to save his son from the despair of academic defeat—by showing him the messiness of his own past.
There’s a speech in the film, somewhere near the end. About how losing doesn’t make you a loser. It was moving when the film came out. It’s devastating now.
The film later won the National Award for Best Hindi Feature Film. But honestly, it was already winning in people’s homes long before that.
Sushant Didn’t Stick To What Worked
Some stars find a hit formula and rinse-repeat it. Sushant didn’t. Sonchiriya, also in 2019, proved that.
A dusty, violent, morally dense dacoit drama set in the ravines of Chambal. Most mainstream actors wouldn’t touch it. He jumped in. Learned the Bundeli dialect. Played Lakhna, a rebel without clarity, just conscience. Understated. Introspective. No hero posturing.
The film didn’t do numbers. But it added layers to his filmography that very few young actors ever dare to.
‘Kedarnath’ Had Its Flaws. He Wasn’t One Of Them.
Kedarnath, released in 2018, got caught in political storms for its interfaith love story. But strip the noise, and what you get is a haunting portrait of a man trying to love, live, and survive amid rising waters—literally and figuratively.
Sushant’s Mansoor was gentle. Understated. A character you could almost miss if you weren’t paying attention. But if you were, you couldn’t look away.
Even when the script got heavy-handed, he kept it grounded. That was his thing.
Off Camera, He Was Harder To Define
He wasn’t easy to box. Loved astrophysics. Collected books. Dabbled in AI and coding. Posted star maps. Read Nietzsche. Taught himself guitar and astronomy. And then talked about starting schools for underprivileged kids.
He founded Innsaei Ventures—part education, part startup, part dreamscape. Didn’t promote it much. Just wanted to build things.
Some people thought he was eccentric. Maybe he was. Or maybe he just refused to play dumb to stay marketable.
Today, He’s Everywhere And Nowhere
His sister Shweta Singh Kirti shared a post this morning. Said he still lives on. Asked people to be kind. Plant a tree. Help someone. Small gestures, big ripples.
Fans are revisiting his films. Platforms like Hotstar and Zee5 are quietly pushing his catalogue up front. Hashtags trend, but the emotion isn’t performative. It’s personal.
In homes across India, someone is rewatching Dhoni tonight. Or that old interview where he talks about the moon. Or that blurry behind-the-scenes moment from a set where he’s fixing a light himself because he can’t sit still.
He’s Gone. But He Isn’t.
There’s no way to make peace with a death like that. But there’s something oddly comforting about how often he shows up—in dialogue, in memory, in meaning.
He made people feel seen. Made them believe that intelligence could be cool, that empathy wasn’t weakness, that outsiders could still break in.
Sushant Singh Rajput didn’t get enough time. But in the time he did have, he left something behind.
Not just movies.
A mirror.
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Saumya Srivastava is a Reporting Fellow at Hindustan Herald, focusing daily on captivating stories from the entertainment industry and evolving lifestyle segments. Currently pursuing her studies at BHU, Varanasi, Saumya combines her academic background with a passion for understanding and showcasing the diverse facets of modern living. Her daily articles aim to inform and inspire readers on everything from popular culture to personal well-being.