Netizens in China pay tribute following death of Indian actress Suhani Bhatnagar

Promotional material for Dangal Photo: IC

 
Suhani Bhatnagar, a promising young actress who co-starred with Bollywood actor Aamir Khan in Indian blockbuster Dangal, has died at the age of 19. 

The young star passed away in Delhi on February 16. The news was later confirmed by Aamir Khan’s production house. It posted the news on X on Saturday, to commemorate the young actress. 

The production company said they were “deeply saddened” to hear about Bhatnagar’s death. 

“Such a talented young girl, such a team player. Dangal would have been incomplete without Suhani,” the post said. 

Her parents on Saturday revealed to the media that red spots started to appear on Bhatnagar’s hands two months ago, but her condition “couldn’t be diagnosed.” Later, the young actress was found to be suffering from a rare condition called dermatomyositis. 

The news soon become a trending topic viewed by more than 200 million people on Sina Weibo. A large number of netizens mourned the actress and said that her career was just about to bloom. Some said it was an “unbelievable tragedy.” 

“I just watched Dangal again two days ago, and I can’t believe the girl passed away at such a young age,” one netizen posted on Sina Weibo. “The film would not be complete without her,” another post said. 

Dangal was one of the most highly praised Indian films to be screened in China and it allowed domestic audiences to get to know Bhatnagar as well as Khan. 

The film had an encouraging story about how the wrestler Mahavir Singh Phogat and his daughters pursued their dreams despite facing societal oppression. The film proved popular with audiences in China when it was released in 2006. 

“I think a lot of values such as tenacity and bravery that were shown in the film were a bridge to connect Chinese audiences to the Indian production,” a netizen posted on Sina Weibo.