'Our first star is gone': Family bids farewell to Sulakshana Pandit

Her words capture what many in the illustrious Pandit family feel — that Sulakshana was not only a gifted artist but the bridge that carried their family’s classical legacy into the world of cinema.

In a heartfelt Facebook post, Durga recalled, “While the three brothers — Sangeet Mahamahopadhyay Pandit Maniram ji, Sangeet Acharya Pandit Pratap Narayan ji (Sulakshana jiji’s father), and Sangeet Martand Pandit Jasraj ji — dedicated their lives to Hindustani Classical Music, Sulakshana jiji dedicated her entire life towards bringing the family to the forefront with her limitless talent. She sang, acted, and performed — she became the first star in our Pandit family.”

Durga’s tribute was not just an artist’s remembrance but a family’s collective sigh of love and loss.

“Thank you, Sulakshana jiji, for doing what you did for the family,” she wrote. “You are the original Stree Shakti in the family. It is only after you set the precedent that all the girls get inspired to pursue their dreams.”

Sulakshana’s life was indeed a story of brilliance and quiet tragedy.

Born in 1954 into a family that lived and breathed music, she was the eldest among seven siblings — including composer duo Jatin-Lalit and actor Vijayata Pandit.

Her uncle was Pandit Jasraj, one of India’s most revered classical vocalists, and her father, Pandit Pratap Narayan, was her first guru.

When her father passed away, a teenage Sulakshana took up the mantle of responsibility — first as a singer, then as an actress.

Her first duet, Saat Samundar Paar (1967) with Lata Mangeshkar, announced the arrival of a voice that could blend sweetness with power.

By the mid-1970s, Sulakshana was a popular name.

She made her acting debut opposite Sanjeev Kumar in Uljhan (1975), which became a box-office hit, followed by memorable roles in Apnapan, Khandaan, and Hera Pheri.

Yet, as Durga noted, she “never ever gave up on her first love — singing.” Her songs like Tu Hi Sagar Tu Hi Kinara and Bekarar Dil still evoke nostalgia for Hindi cinema’s melodic age.

But fame came with fragility.

Sulakshana’s deep affection for her Uljhan co-star Sanjeev Kumar, which was never reciprocated, left her heartbroken.

After his death in 1985, she withdrew from the limelight. Her later years were marked by illness, financial struggles, and emotional isolation.

Her sister, actor Vijayata Pandit, revealed last year that Sulakshana had been living with her since 2006.

“She was in a bad state, she was retired and had no money to maintain the house,” Vijayata said in an interview. “So I brought her to live with me.” Vijayata even sold Sulakshana’s property to buy her a flat in Lokhandwala, ensuring her elder sister’s comfort in her final years.

The family, bound by both art and adversity, has seen its share of tragedy.

In 2012, their sister Sandhya Singh went missing and was later found murdered.

“I never told Sulakshana the truth,” Vijayata had said. “She wouldn’t have been able to bear it.”

On Friday afternoon, family, friends, and colleagues gathered at the Pawan Hans crematorium in Juhu to say their final goodbyes.

Among them were Shabana Azmi, Poonam Dhillon, Vijayata, and Lalit Pandit — faces etched with memories of an era and a woman who defined it.

For her niece, singer Shweta Pandit, the loss felt personal and profound.

“My guru, my guide, my lifeline,” Shweta wrote on Instagram. “Her story is left unsaid. She left us with all her beauty and all her talent — still all within her.”