Los Angeles: Neel Nanda, a stand-up comic of Indian descent known for ''Jimmy Kimmel Live'' and ''Adam Devine's House Party'', has died days after celebrating his 32nd birthday.

Nanda's longtime manager Greg Weiss confirmed the news to entertainment website Variety, saying he was a ''great comic and human being''. No cause of death was cited.

 

The comedian had just celebrated his birthday, headlining a comedy gig at Jokers Theatre and Comedy Club in Toronto, Canada. He had promoted his ''birthday'' weekend show during December 15 and 16 on Instagram.

Nanda was best known for his five-minute set on ''Jimmy Kimmel Live'', a late night talk show, in 2017. He also appeared on shows such as ''Adam Devine's House Party'', ''Flophouse'' and ''Coming to the Stage''.

Nanda also hosted ''Unnecessary Evil'', a weekly show at the Westside Comedy Theater in Los Angeles.

Born in Atlanta, Georgia to Indian immigrant parents, Nanda took to comedy as a child after watching the TV channel Comedy Central and would retell his favorite jokes at his middle school.

Several comedy clubs, including Jokers Theatre and Comedy Club, and fellow comedians shared condolence messages on social media.

 

''On behalf of our entire Jokers team, please accept our deepest sympathies as we mourn the loss of a brilliantly funny soul. We send love and condolences to Neel Nanda's family, friends, and fans. May he rest in peace,'' the Toronto-based club said in an Instagram post.

''It is with a very heavy heart we say goodbye to comedy great, Neel Nanda. Absolutely shocked by the news. Such a positive force for comedy and a huge loss to our community. Thank you for gracing our stage and piano, a great headliner, gone too soon,'' representatives for the Port Comedy Club wrote on Instagram.

Comedian Matt Rife described Nanda as ''one of the nicest, hardest working comedians I've ever called a friend''. ''I hope you can be at peace brother,'' Rife added in his X post.

''I didn't know Neel Nanda personally, but reading several tributes is both heartbreaking and eye opening. I echo so many in expressing there is help out there. Please remember you are never alone. People want to help you. There is a path through your pain,'' wrote actor-comic Dane Cook on X.

According to American media, Nanda is survived by his parents and a sister.

 

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Holenarasipura (Karnataka) (PTI): Smoke billowed as ‘Havan’ (fire rituals) flames raged in the scorching summer at JD(S) MLA and former Karnataka Minister H D Revanna’s residence here on Wednesday.

Conspicuous was a piece of paper pasted on the wall of his house.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru before leaving for Holenarasipura, Revanna said the SIT has pasted a notice on his house.

Noting that he has no clue about the content of the notice, he said he will cooperate with the authorities.

“I have the strength to face these conspiracies. I will face it (investigation). There is no need to bother. I did not do anything wrong. I am prepared for any investigation and will fight it in a legal manner,” Revanna said.

Rejecting all the allegations, he said, "I will not speak about it now.”

Meanwhile, the SIT has formed three teams to probe the case.

Revanna, the Holenarasipura JD(S) MLA, is the son of former Prime Minister and JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda and elder brother of former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy.

Prajwal is seeking a re-election from Hassan from the JD(S), which is an alliance partner of the BJP in Karnataka.

Just before the elections, a huge cache of explicit videos and photographs, allegedly belonging to him have gone viral in the social media, following which the Karnataka government constituted the SIT on the request of Karnataka State Commission for Women chairperson Nagalakshmi Chowdhary.

A case has been registered against Revanna and Prajwal at Holenarasipura on a complaint by their former cook and relative for allegedly sexually harassing her. She alleged that Prajwal made video calls to her daughter and spoke in an objectionable manner, which forced her to block him.

Since morning, priests were busy performing rituals at Revanna's residence in Hassan district to "ward off the adversity" that has struck their family.

Revanna’s trust in Gods, Goddesses, rituals and astrology are well known.

Once the JD(S) MLA was seen holding lemons in his hand during a public event on the stage. When asked about it, he said lemon has the quality to ward off any type of spell cast on a person.

Sometime he also was seen walking barefoot as part of a vow to fulfill his wishes.

When he was the Public Works Minister in the coalition government of Congress-JD(S), which was led by his brother Kumaraswamy, he travelled 350 km to and from Holenarasipura after an astrologer had advised him not to stay in his own house in Bengaluru as it would bring him bad luck, a source close to Revanna said.

One cannot miss out a broad ‘Tilak’ on his forehead, a garland of Rudraksh Rosary around his neck and rings on his fingers studded with precious stones.