News of Mandira Bedi’s husband Raj Kaushal's sudden demise due to cardiac arrest left many shocked. In conversation with ETimes, music director Sulaiman Merchant narrated what exactly happened, before the film industry woke up to the news of the director’s death. Sulaiman who was at the Mandira and Raj’s residence, RaMa shared the director was feeling uneasy a day before he passed away. Later he consumed an antacid tablet. It was around 4 am the director complained of feeling all the more uneasy
Sulaiman revealed, "Raj was feeling uneasy in the evening". And then? "Well, he took an antacid tablet." Sulaiman continuing further narrates Raj informed Mandira that he was having a heart attack. On this Mandira instantly called Ashish Chaudhary. The actor rushed to their bungalow and they put Raj in the car to take him to the hospital. He said, "Raj told Mandira that he was getting a heart attack. Mandira acted swiftly and called Ashish Chaudhary, who rushed to their place. Mandira and Ashish put him in the car but he was losing consciousness."
Adding further, he said, "I think they drove off, taking him to the Lilavati Hospital if I'm not wrong. But in the next 5-10 minutes, they realised that he had no pulse. Before they reached the doctor, it was too late."
Sulaiman also shared that Raj has suffered a heart attack when he was 30-32 and since then he was thoroughly taking care of himself. "I think he was 30-32 then. But they took a lot of care after that attack, and he'd kept fine since then," adds the music director. ALSO READ: Mahima Chaudhary Remembers Mandira Bedi’s Late Husband Raj Kaushal In A Moving Tribute But Trolls Seem To Think She's Being ‘Insensitive' By 'Smiling' In The Video, We DISAGREE
Pouring his heart out, Sulaiman shared that he was friends with Raj for 25 years, further sharing deets about Raj’s initial projects in Bollywood, he mentioned, "I have lost a friend of 25 years. I knew him since the days he was assisting Mukul Anand on 'Dus'. I had gone to his house once during the pandemic, many months back. Salim and I gave music to his first film 'Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi'. "
The music director also revealed he was planning to shoot at Raj’s Madh property for an album, he said, "I was frequently in touch with him. When we were going to start our album 'Bhoomi 2020', he offered us his bungalow in Madh island, which he rents out for shootings but eventually, we didn't shoot there." Sulaiman on losing his friend all of a sudden states, "It doesn't get more shocking than this." ALSO READ: Mandira Bedi Breaks Gender Stereotypes By Carrying Husband Raj Kaushal’s Bier; Netizens Call Her ‘Empowered Woman Of India’
Raj is survived by his wife Mandira Bedi and two kids- Veer and Tara.
Image Source: Instagram/mandirebedi/SpotboyE archives