What Manish Malhotra Told Sushant Singh Rajput Before His First Ever Ramp Walk

"Just smile," Manish Malhotra recalls he told actor Sushant Singh Rajput before a fashion show in 2016, "Your smile is endearing and charming." Mr Rajput was walking the ramp for the first time as a showstopper for Mr Malhotra and confessed to being nervous. "You are such a good actor, you will be fine," Manish Malhotra remembers telling Mr Rajput, writing in an Instagram post on Monday. Sushant Singh Rajput, 34, was found dead at home in Mumbai on Sunday. Police say he died by suicide. Mr Rajput's funeral was held on Monday evening - among those who attended were his Chhichhore co-star Shraddha Kapoor, who also walked the ramp with him at the Manish Malhotra show in 2016.

In his Instagram post, shared with a clip of Sushant Singh Rajput on the ramp (yes, he smiled), Manish Malhotra wrote, "I had met him only once before and then asked him to walk for the show as I felt he suited this collection. He immediately agreed and came home for fittings."

Sushant Singh Rajput "was wonderful in the show," Mr Malhotra continued, adding: "Today this is a wonderful cherished memory forever. I woke up this morning thinking about him and still can't believe it." Read his post here:

View this post on Instagram

I had met him only once before and then asked him to walk for the show as I felt he suited this collection. He immediately agreed and came home for fittings .. when he came for rehearsals he said he was nervous as he had not walked before and I remember telling him you are such a good actor you will be fine and just smile as your smile is endearing and charming .. He was wonderful in this show as he and @shraddhakapoor walked and made a lovely pair together and today this is a wonderful cherished memory forever .. I woke up this morning thinking about him & still can't beileve it. It's really sad and how I wish this had not happened. You will be dearly missed. #sushantsinghrajput #memories

A post shared by Manish Malhotra (@manishmalhotra05) on Jun 15, 2020 at 1:59am PDT

On Sunday, after Mr Rajput's death, Manish Malhotra shared an image from the same show, describing the actor as, "charming, friendly, warm, smiling always, talented."

View this post on Instagram

This news has been shocking and very sad and heartbreaking #Rip dear #sushantsinghrajput charming , friendly ,warm , smiling always , talented you will truly be missed .

A post shared by Manish Malhotra (@manishmalhotra05) on Jun 14, 2020 at 3:55am PDT

Manish Malhotra was just one of many film fraternity members to have shared tributes to the actor; the flood of messages, however, has prompted a sharp reaction from some actors and filmmakers who have accused their colleagues of "hypocrisy" and "two-facedness."

After a star-making stint on TV soap Pavitra Rishta, Sushant Singh Rajput made his film debut in 2013's Kai Po Che! His filmography includes MS Dhoni: The Untold Story, Kedarnath, Chhichhore, Sonchiriya and Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! Mr Rajput was last seen in the 2019 Netflix film Drive.

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