What Really Happened To Divya Bharti On The Night Of 5 April 1993? She had the world at her feet. What really happened to the 19-year-old sensation Divya Bharti on the night of April 5, 1993, when in the presence of dress designer Neeta Lulla and her husband, she plunged to her death, reportedly in an inebriated condition?
This is what we have heard and what we’ve been told. But doubts about the nature of her sudden and shocking death still remain. What really happened to Divya Bharti that night?
How could she get so drunk and still climb the window sill of her apartment? To reach a place of life-taking imbalance one has to first be able to get to that place. And if she was so drunk why was she allowed to do something so dangerous by other people who were in the room?
Like Sushant Singh Rajput, Divya Bharti’s life was snuffed out in her prime, leaving many questions unanswered. She had a brief innings of superstardom before she died suddenly on 5 April, 1993 at age 19.
Coincidentally, Shah Rukh’s first two films starred Divya Bharati.
Hema Malini’s Dil Aashna Hai and not Deewana was supposed to be Shah Rukh Khan’s debut film. Hema’s initial release on December 18, 1992, got delayed because of the Babri Masjid demolition and the subsequent unrest in the country. Technically, however, Dil Aashna Hai was SRK’s first film. It was finally released on December 25, two weeks late.
Divya Bharti was an instant star.
Recalling how she signed Shah Rukh, Hema Malini had told me how he met her as a newcomer in Mumbai and when she told him, she was turning director, he insisted on being in the film. “I told him very bluntly that the film was based on the girl Divya Bharti’s character. He could play her boyfriend which was a brief role. He insisted on playing the role. I wish I could give him more to do. Dil Aashna Hai was through-and-through the girl’s story. Divya was sensational in my film. I wish she had lived much longer. She would have touched the sky,” Hema expressed regret.
Dil Aashna Hai was ripped off from the Shirley Conan bestselling novel Lace.
Both SRK’s debut and sophomore films co-starred Divya Bharati. SRK recalled Divya as hardworking and focused star material. Death snatched her away before she could get the stardom she deserved. In 1992, Divya had two releases Deewana and Shola Aur Shabnam, both superhits.
Divya’s death affected at least 12 films that were underproduction.
Recalls producer-director Pahlaj Nihalani, “People say many things about her death. But no one really knows what happened that night. It will remain a mystery. She was like a daughter to me. And so affectionate! She once injured her foot badly while shooting still limped back to work the next morning. I had to force her back to rest as shooting had been cancelled.” Divya Bharti’s death threw the film industry in a turmoil. At least 10-12 film with her in the lead were on the floors when she suddenly plunged to her death. All of them had to be scrapped and resumed from start with another heroine. Her death was a big loss for the industry. Whatever she touched turned into gold.”
In Laadla, Divya was replaced by Sridevi. In Mohra and Dilwale, Raveena Tandon took her place. In Dhanwan, Divya was replaced by Karisma Kapoor. In Vijaypath, Tabu sang her way to stardom with Ruk ruk ruk after Divya had to be replaced. In Angrakshak, Pooja Bhatt replaced the ill fated actress and in Kartavya and Radha Ka Sangam it was Juhi Chawla.
Almost all the above films were superhits.
Kajol would not have met her future husband Ajay Devgn if she had not replaced Divya Bharti in Hulchul.
