Popular actor Nitesh Pandey was found dead at a hotel in Igatpuri near Nashik in Maharshtra. He was 50. Mr Pandey, who was shooting in Igatpuri, appeared to have suffered a heart attack. Police are at the hotel and are investigating - a post-mortem report is awaited. Hotel staff and others close to Nitesh Pandey are being questioned. Nitesh Pandey was best-known for the film Om Shanti Om in which he played the assistant to Shah Rukh Khan's character.
Nitesh Pandey's brother-in-law Siddharth Nagar told ETimes, "My brother-in-law is no more. My sister Arpita is in a state of shock," adding, "We have gone absolutely numb." Nitesh Pandey "was a very lively person," Siddharth Nagar said, "I don't think he had a history of any heart ailment."
Nitesh Pandey was a familiar face from TV and films. He began as a theatre actor in the 90s and then played a detective in a short-lived TV show called Tejas.
Nitesh Pandey appeared in shows like Astitva... Ek Prem Kahani, Manzilein Apani Apani, Saaya, Durgesh Nandini and Justajoo. He was most recently seen on Anupamaa.
Nitesh Pandey's big screen credits include Badhaai Do, Shaadi Ke Side Effects, and Rangoon. Apart from Shah Rukh Khan's Om Shanti Om, his best-known film role was in Khosla Ka Ghosla.
