Sidharth Shukla, who became a household name as Shivraj Shekhar thanks to his role in the popular television show 'Balika Vadhu', was born on December 11, 1980

Sidharth started his career as a model, and later tasted success on television, the big screen and in the digital world as well. His last outing, 'Broken But Beautiful 3', was a huge hit. (picture courtesy: Pallav Paliwal)

Talking about 'Broken But Beautiful 3', Sidharth Shukla, in an exclusive interview with mid-day, said,  “To find yourself employed in such trying times is a blessing. We managed to shoot in the midst of the first wave. The best part was that we filmed at length for a couple of months, and nobody on the set contracted the virus. We had a big unit”

Do you remember the song 'Resham Ka Rumaal' starring Monalisa and sung by Ila Arun? Sidharth made his first on-screen appearance in this music video after winning the runner-up title in Gladrags Manhunt and Mega model contest back in 2004. After this stint, there was no turning back for the actor. He then bagged several advertisements, which introduced him to the world of television

The actor rose to prominence with his portrayal of the district collector Shivraj Shekhar in the most loved television show 'Balika Vadhu'

He was cast in 'Dil Se Dil Tak' apposite Rashami Desai. After Sidharth left the show the two became part of a lot of controversies

The actor was then seen in popular TV shows like 'Babul Ka Aangann Chootey Na', 'Dil Se Dil Tak', 'Love U Zindagi', 'Aahat', 'CID' and many others. He is one of the most loved winners of Bigg Boss. Bigg Boss was not his first reality show; Sid was a part of 'Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 6', 'Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi 7' and hosted popular shows like 'Savdhaan India' and 'India's Got Talent 6 and 7'

In 2014, Shukla made his Bollywood debut with 'Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania' in a supporting role playing the character of Angad Bedi, an NRI doctor and fiancé of Alia Bhatt's character

Speaking about his last on-screen appearance, after wooing the audience with his stint in 'Broken But Beautiful 3', Sidharth and Shehnaaz, who became quite close in 'Bigg Boss 13', appeared together in 'Dance Deewane 3' where he also shared the stage with Madhuri Dixit-Nene

Sidharth Shukla not only matched steps with Madhuri, but also recreated a popular scene from her film 'Dil Toh Pagal Hai', which set temperatures soaring. The television actor featured as a guest on the reality show and was a bundle of nerves to romance Mads. “She’s so gorgeous,” he gushed as he wondered if he was “romancing” the 'dhak dhak' girl for real

Earlier in an interview with mid-day, Sidharth Shukla shared, "I have always been conscious about the kind of work I pick. This was no different — as soon as I heard the narration, I immediately wanted to do it. [The digital medium] is the way to move forward. People are so creative out here. A [wide section] of the audience has changed their taste, and want to watch more of new content"

Sidharth Shukla passed away on September 2 in Mumbai at the age of 40. He survived by his mother and two sisters. May his soul rest in peace