One of India’s greatest comics, Raju Srivastava died at the age of 58. His family confirmed his passing. He died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences on Wednesday around 10:20 in the morning.

Srivastava had been hospitalised on August 10 last month after complaining of chest pain while working out at the gym. He was rushed to AIIMS where he suffered a heart attack. He had to resuscitated twice with CPR. He underwent an angioplasty the day he was admitted and was then moved to an Intense Care Unit where he was put on ventilator. 

He is survived by his wife Shikha and his two children Antara and Ayushman. 

Also Read | Raju Srivastava dies: Actors, politicians pay tribute to the comedian

Here are some facts about the comedian.

Birth name and family

Raju Srivastava was born Satya Prakash Srivastava on December 25, 1963 into the family of notable Hindi poet Ramesh Chandra Srivastava who was also known as Lo Balai Kaka. The comedian’s father died in 2012 while taking part in kavi sammelan, a gathering of poets, in Unnao.

Also Read | Raju Srivastava: Struggle from auto driver to comedy king

Early years in Mumbai

Sometime in the 1980s, Srivastava moved to Mumbai to pursue his dream of becoming a comedian and a mimic. During his time in the city, he drove an autorickshaw to make ends meet, taking up comedy shows for as low as Rs 50 to eke out a living. While in Mumbai, he made a name for himself doing imitations of Amitabh Bachchan and working short roles in Bollywood, having been in films like Maine Pyar Kiya and Baazigar.

Character work

 In 2005, he joined the show The Great Indian Laughter Challenge and brought to the stage two characters Gajodhar and Manodhar. The two not only helped hasten his meteortic rise to fame but also became a signature of Srivastava’s comedy

Also Read | Raju Srivastava dies: Comedian’s top 5 jokes

Death threats

Back in 2009, the comedian would often make jokes about Dawood Ibrahim during his shows. As a result, he received calls from Pakistan warning him not to make jokes about the gangster and his associates as they would get him killed, according to a Times of India report from that year. 

Film Development Council in Uttar Pradesh

Srivastava was made the chairman of the Film Development Council of Uttar Pradesh by the state’s Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The two shared a warm relationship to the point that Adityanath called Srivastava’s wife when he was hospitalised last month to inquire about his health and wish him a speedy recovery.