'Sarabhai vs Sarabhai' actor Vaibhavi Upadhyaya dies in road accident
Shimla (PTI): Actor Vaibhavi Upadhyaya, best known for TV series "Sarabhai vs Sarabhai: Take 2", passed away in a road accident in Himachal Pradesh on Monday, said police.
Upadhyaya died in the Banjar area of Kullu district when the Mumbai number Fortuner she was travelling in with her fiance fell into a gorge. The accident occurred while negotiating a steep curve.
"Vaibhavi tried to get out of the vehicle through the window and sustained a head injury which proved fatal while the other passenger was safe," SP Kullu Sakshi Verma told PTI.
The last rites of the actor, who was in her 30s, will be held in Mumbai on Wednesday, added Verma.
"Sarabhai vs Sarabhai" producer J D Majethia shared the news of Upadhyaya's demise on his Instagram Story early Wednesday morning.
"Life is so unpredictable. A very fine actress, dear friend Vaibhavi Upadhyay popularly known as 'Jasmine' of Sarabhai vs Sarabhai passed away. She met with an accident in the north... (sic)" he wrote.
On "Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai", Upadhyaya starred as Jasmine Mawani, the love interest of Rosesh, played by Rajesh Kumar.
Her fiery character would often crack up viewers with her foot-in-the-mouth literal Gujarati to English translations. Upadhyaya's Jasmine was also popular for the Gujarati catchphrase "Khot nat kehti" (I speak the truth) and for standing up to family matriarch, the elite Maya Sarabhai (Ratna Pathak Shah).
"Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai" cast members also paid tributes to the late actor on social media.
Satish Shah, who played the Sarabhai family patriarch Indravadan, remembered Upadhyaya as "a fine actor and a colleague".
"The whole SvS team is in shock. Om Shanti," Shah tweeted.
"Shocking! A very fine actress and a dear friend Vaibhavi Upadhyaya, popularly known as 'Jasmine' of Sarabhai vs Sarabhai passed away," wrote show's actor-director Deven Bhojani on Twitter.
Rupali Ganguly, who played Monisha in "Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai", said she was shocked to know about Upadhyaya's demise.
"Gone too soon Vaibhavi..." wrote the "Anupamaa" star on her Instagram Stories alongside a still of the late actor from their show.
"Can't believe this," Ganguly captioned another picture of Upadhyaya.
Sumeet Raghvan said he was in a state of shock.
"Absolutely numb. #vaibhaviupadhyaya Om Shanti," tweeted the actor, who played Sahil in "Sarabhai vs Sarabhai".
Upadhyaya's acting credits also include the Deepika Padukone-starrer "Chhapaak" and TV shows such as "CID" and "Adaalat".
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Voting underway in 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in Karnataka
Bengaluru (PTI): Voting was underway on Friday in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls in 14 constituencies in Karnataka.
Polling began at 7 am and will end at 6 pm.
A total of 247 candidates -- 226 men and 21 women -- are in the fray for the first phase covering most of the southern and coastal districts, where more than 2.88 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in 30,602 polling stations.
The Congress and BJP are locking horns on the electoral battleground again in less than a year.
This election is witnessing a straight fight between the ruling Congress and the BJP-JD(S) combine unlike the Assembly elections in May last year which witnessed a triangular contest among the three parties.
The state has a total of 28 Lok Sabha constituencies. The second phase of polling in the remaining 14 seats is on May seven.
In the first phase, while the Congress is contesting in all 14 seats, BJP has fielded nominees in 11 and its alliance partner JD(S), which joined the National Democratic Alliance in (NDA) in September last year, in three -- Hassan, Mandya and Kolar.
Besides the three, the segments where elections are being held on Friday are: Udupi-Chikmagalur, Dakshina Kannada, Chitradurga, Tumkur, Mysore, Chamarajanagar, Bangalore Rural, Bangalore North, Bangalore Central, Bangalore South and Chikkballapur.
According to Election Commission, 1.4 lakh polling officials are on duty for the first phase.
Besides them, 5,000 micro-observers, 50,000 civil police personnel, and 65 companies of Central Paramilitary Force and State Armed Police force of other States have been deployed for security.
All the 2,829 polling stations of Bangalore Rural parliamentary constituency are being webcast.
"This is as per the request of our returning officers and observers; so we have given more than double the Central paramilitary force for Bangalore Rural constituency. Seven companies of Central paramilitary forces have been inducted at the constituency since April 22," Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena has said.
In fact, out of the total 30,602 polling stations in the first phase, 19,701 are webcast, and 1,370 covered via CCTVs, he had added.
Chikkaballapur has a maximum number of 29 candidates, followed by 24 in Bangalore Central, and Dakshina Kannada has the least number at nine.
JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy from Mandya, his brother-in-law and noted cardiologist C N Manjunath from Bangalore Rural on a BJP ticket against Deputy CM D K Shivakumar's brother and MP D K Suresh of Congress, and erstwhile Mysuru royal family scion Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar from Mysore, from the BJP, are among the prominent candidates in the fray in the first phase.
Also in the contest are BJP MP Tejasvi Surya from Bangalore South pitted against Minister Ramalinga Reddy's daughter Sowmya Reddy of Congress, and Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje on BJP ticket from Bangalore North against former Indian Institute of Management Bangalore professor M V Rajeev Gowda of Congress.
