Sidharth Shukla dead: Bollywood actor and reality star dies at 40

Bollywood actor and reality TV star Sidharth Shukla has died at the age of 40, according to India’s Colors TV network.

“We, at Colors, are saddened & devastated by the sudden loss of our family member, Sidharth Shukla,” Colors TV tweeted on Thursday. “His passing is an irreparable loss for us & the whole industry.”

Shukla was taken to Cooper Hospital in Mumbai Thursday morning and was already dead when he arrived, a doctor from the hospital told BBC News. An unidentified hospital official said that Shukla appears to have died of a heart attack, according to the Press Trust of India news agency.

An autopsy will be conducted to determine the exact cause of death, another doctor from the hospital told the Hindustan Times.

Shukla was best-known as the Season 13 winner of Bigg Boss, India’s answer to the reality show Big Brother.

Shukla started his career as a model in 2005 before breaking into acting and reality TV. Bigg Boss was his biggest claim to fame, but he also appeared in India’s Fear Factor and hosted India’s Got Talent.

Fans, actors and reality TV stars mourned Shukla’s death on social media Thursday.

Many also expressed their sympathy for Shehnaz Gill, Shukla’s close friend and another contestant from Bigg Boss 13.

The two had appeared on a few different reality TV shows in recent weeks, and she was reportedly present when his body was taken to hospital.