Man playing Ram suffers heart attack on stage, dies

A tragic incident occurred during a Ramlila performance in East Delhi when Sushil Kaushik (45) collapsed and died of a heart attack while enacting the role of Lord Ram. Dressed in an ornate bronze costume adorned with gold and silver details, Kaushik was in the midst of a scene when the unfortunate event transpired.

Witnesses reported that Kaushik, who had been performing the role of Lord Ram for 32 years, appeared to be in good spirits as he enacted his part. However, moments into the performance, he got up from his kneeling position, took two steps and suddenly felt uneasy. Grasping his chest, he hurried backstage, where he lost consciousness. He was promptly taken to Kailash Deepak Hospital in Anand Vihar but efforts to save him were unsuccessful.

Sushil was a property dealer by profession and was known for personally delivering the songs and dialogues of his character. His younger brother, Yash Kaushik said, “It was a heart attack; I’m not sure about the details. I learnt from Deepak that he had complained of dizziness and lost his balance. I have no words to express my feelings. I just pray to the Almighty to grant peace to the departed soul and provide strength to the family.”

Satyendra Nagar, vice-president of the Ramlila committee, shared the collective grief felt by the community. “There is a wave of shock in the entire area, Ramlila committee and our entire Ramlila family. We couldn’t even imagine that something like this would happen. The actor who played Lord Ram suddenly passed away, leaving all of us in shock. It’s very heartbreaking for us,” he said.