Digital Desk: Raju
Srivastava, 58, one of India's most well-known stand-up comedians, died on
Wednesday. On August 10, he suffered a cardiac arrest while working out at a
gym in Delhi and was rushed to the All India Institute of Medical Science
(AIIMS). The actor was immediately placed on life support and transferred to
the intensive care unit. He hadn't regained consciousness in over a month, and
his condition was deteriorating despite the doctors' best efforts. According to
doctors, he suffered brain damage as a result of the heart attack.
The actor-comedian
has given thousands of live performances around the world, including in the
United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, Kenya, Fiji, Dubai,
Bangkok, and Hong Kong.
However, some of the
characters he played will live on in the hearts of his fans. Here's a list of
some of his most popular characters and stand-up routines.
Gajodhar Bhaiya
Mr Srivastava
created the character of Gajodhar Bhaiya after seeing Amitabh Bachchan on
screen and deciding to pursue acting as a career. He introduced it to a wider
audience in The Great Indian Laughter Challenge, which aired on television from
2005 to 2017.
He frequently used
Gajodhar in his performances, and as a result, the character grew in
popularity.
The character was
inspired by his interactions with various types of people in Uttar Pradesh,
where he was born. Most of the time, Gajodhar spoke in the "Awadhi"
dialect (popular in some parts of Uttar Pradesh) and reacted oddly and
humorously to everything around him.
Raju Srivastava was
inspired by Gajodhar's popularity.
Sankata, Baijanaath, and Puttan
Raju Srivastava's
characters were always inspired by people in his immediate surroundings. When
names like Gajodhar, Sankata, Baijnath, and Puttan come to mind, the viewer's
face lights up.
Gajodhar
performed one such act when he went to the movies with his friends Sankata,
Baijanaath, and Puttan. They made an appeal to North Indians living throughout
the country.
The railway
station has played an important role in Raju's comedy. One of his most famous
lines from his acts is: "Sankatha, Gajodhar, Birju, and E train What is
the difference between a chhuta and a baju wala? (Hey Yadav, Sankatha,
Gajodhar, Birju, has our train or the one next to us started?)" It became
so popular that it is still the basis for most railway station memes today.
Raju's voice is still used in short videos.
Unhappy 'Jijaji'
and 'Fufaji' (brother-in-law and uncle) in Indian marriages
Weddings in Indian families are known to be
extravagant, but the bride and groom are not the only focal points. Other
guests occasionally steal the show by becoming the subject of gossip for their
actions, whether they like it or not. Mr Srivastava, who is known for his
observational humour, shared amusing anecdotes from these weddings, which were
a huge hit.
During one of his acts, the comedian made a
humorous point about how guests at weddings become nervous about eating when
the cameraman begins to focus on them. He had mentioned how the Jijaji and
Phuphaji were always complaining about the services and accommodations provided
at weddings - these points immediately struck a chord with the audience and
catapulted Mr Srivastava to fame.
The Indian entertainment industry and the stand-up comedy
community have suffered the loss of one of their best and brightest performers.
Raju Srivastava's millions of fans in India and around the world will miss him.
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