Pratyusha Banerjee
Pratyusha Banerjee has died aged 24 Twitter

Bollywood actress Pratyusha Banerjee has committed suicide. She was 24-years-old. According to reports, the actress took her own life by hanging herself at her home on Friday (1 April).

She was rushed to Kokilaben Ambani Hospital in Andheri, Mumbai where she was pronounced dead. The news was confirmed by her close friend and fellow actress Kamya Punjabi.

Bollywood Life reports that Pratyusha had become 'extremely depressed' over her relationship with boyfriend Rahul Raj Singh. The website adds that the couple was planning to get married soon.

Pratyusha's former co-star Sidharth Shukla said she was 'shocked' to hear of her friend's passing. "I also just heard the news and I am shocked," she told Bollywood Life. "This is indeed very sad and depressing."

Dr Kumar Vishvas said: "Such a sad end of a bubbly, energetic n talented town girl Pratyusha Banarjee, Indian TV will always miss you "Anandi". RIP"

Her Bigg Boss co-star, actor Kushal Tandon, told ABP news: "It is very sad. May her soul rest in peace."

The news was met with sadness and shock in the Bollywood film fraternity. Karan Johar said: "This is just so sad...and a wake up call to families and friends who don't consider depression a medical condition...RIP #PratyushaBanarjee."

The director and producer urged Twitter users to refrain from conjecture about her death. "A girl died...let her loved ones mourn in peace...social media may not have a conscience....but can it have a heart?" he wrote.

Pratyusha was best known for her debut role on drama series Balika Vadhu, where she played Anandi Shivraj Shekhar from 2010 to 2013. In 2013 she appeared on Bigg Boss, the Indian version of Big Brother. She worked in TV series Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya in 2014.

News of her death echoes that of actress Jiah Khan in 2013, whose alleged suicide sent shockwaves through Bollywood. In 2000, the popular South actress Viji, also took her own life at the age of 34 after a failed love affair.

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