Vaquar Shaikh recalls shooting with Rituraj: He was a 'huge star'

Vaquar Shaikh Reminisces about Late Actor Rituraj Singh’s ‘Anupamaa’ Memories

Mumbai, Feb 20 (IANS) Vaquar Shaikh, well-known for his role in the show ‘Anupamaa’, shared his memories of working with the late actor Rituraj Singh in the 1993 show ‘Banegi Apni Baat’ (BAB), calling him a ‘huge star’. Rituraj Singh, who passed away at the age of 59 due to cardiac arrest, left Vaquar shaken by the news of his demise. “I don’t know what to say. I’m actually quite speechless to speak about him. It’s quite shocking. I’m actually saddened, I’m nervous, and I’m at a loss for words,” said Vaquar.

Vaquar Shaikh, who currently plays Rituraj’s on-screen brother in ‘Anupamaa’, expressed his grief over the senior actor’s demise. The actor also revealed that the late actor was called Ritz by his friends and talked about the beautiful memories of working with him in BAB. “He (Rituraj) was doing the show right from the beginning. I joined after three years. I have beautiful memories because I remember going on the set and meeting this actor who was a huge star then because of his telefilms that had already been released, and we used to really look up to him,” recalled Vaquar.

‘Banegi Apni Baat’ starred various actors including Irrfan Khan, Shefali Shah, and R Madhavan, among others, and Vaquar shared, “He was very courteous, sweet, generous, and very nice to people like me, who had just joined the show. He was very helpful and instantly would make you feel at ease.” Vaquar also expressed regret for not being able to shoot even a single scene with Rituraj in ‘Anupamaa’, despite playing his on-screen younger brother. “It’s quite ironic that I entered ‘Anupamaa’ playing his younger brother, but I didn’t shoot with him, not even for a single day, which is very strange,” he said.

The ‘Saaya’ actor added, “I wish I had at least one scene with him because that would have been really nice. I would have worked with him after nearly more than two decades. But I should have had at least one scene with him.”

The industry has lost a talented and beloved actor, as Rituraj Singh’s sudden demise has left a void in the hearts of his colleagues and fans. His memory will continue to be cherished by those who had the privilege of working with him.