Raju Srivastava’s Journey From Being An Auto Driver To Playing Popular Character Gajodhar Bhaiya

Popular
comedian
Raju
Srivastava
(Raju
Srivastav)
breathed
his
last
today
(September
21)
at
10.30
am
in
Delhi
at
the
age
of
58.
He
is
survived
by
Shikha,
whom
he
married
in
1993,
and
their
children
Antara
and
Ayushman.
The
comedian’s
death
comes
as
a
shock
to
the
country.
Several
fans,
celebrities
and
political
leaders
took
to
Twitter
to
offer
condolences.

Let’s
take
a
look
into
the
comedian’s
journey!

Raju
came
to
Mumbai
in
the
80s.
His
journey
wasn’t
easy.
Before
working
in
showbiz,
he
drove
an
auto
for
some
time
in
Mumbai.
To
make
his
ends
meet,
Raju,
who
was
a
gifted
mimic,
and
had
to
perform
at
Rs
50
to
make
ends
meet.

To
survive
in
the
city,
he
did
cameo
roles
in
films
like

Tezaab
(1988),

Maine
Pyar
Kiya
(1989),

Baazigar
(1993)
and

Bombay
To
Goa
(2007).

The
actor
got
his
first
break
in
1994
with
Doordarshan’s

Tea
Time
Manoranjan
and
bagged
a
role
(Dhurandhar
Singh)
in

Shaktimaan.

He
became
a
household
name
after
he
participated
in

The
Great
Indian
Laughter
Challenge
(2005).
His
stage
characters
Gajodhar
and
Manodhar
are
loved
by
everyone.
Gajodhar
Bhaiya
was
a
character
developed
by
Raju,
who
was
a
huge
fan
of
Amitabh
Bachchan
and
chose
to
pursue
acting
as
a
career
after
seeing
him
on
screen.
Most
of
the
time,
Gajodhar
spoke
in
the
“Awadhi”
dialect
(popular
in
some
parts
of
Uttar
Pradesh).

Raju,
who
was
known
for
his
observational
humour,
presented
humorous
anecdotes
from
these
weddings,
which
became
huge
hits.
He
made
a
humorous
point
about
how
the
guests
feel
nervous
about
eating
at
weddings
when
the
cameraman
focusses
on
them.

Raju
Srivastava
Death:
Mortal
Remains
To
Be
Shifted
From
AIIMS
Delhi;
Last
Rites
To
Be
Held
Tomorrow

Raju
Srivastava
Passes
Away:
PM
Modi
Calls
His
Demise
‘Saddening’;
Celebs
&
Fans
Offer
Condolences

Raju
had
participated
in

Nach
Baliye
along
with
his
wife
Shikha
in
2013.
He
was
seen
playing
various
characters
in

Comedy
Nights
With
Kapil
(2013-2016)
and
in

The
Kapil
Sharma
Show
(2016-2017).

Apart
from
television
shows,
he
was
seen
in
movies
like

Main
Prem
Ki
Diwani
Hoon
as
Shambhu
(Sanjana’s
servant),

Aamdani
Atthani
Kharcha
Rupaiyaa
as
Baba
Chin
Chin
Choo
and
had
made
special
appearance
in

Firangi.