Raju Shrivastav Death: From auto driver to politicians, lesser-known Facts of "Gajodhar Bhaiya"

Actor and comedian Raju Srivastava passed away on Wednesday at the age of 58. He was seriously ill after suffering a heart attack on 10 August and was put on a ventilator at AIIMS in New Delhi where he fought to the death for 41 days. He has been a part of the Indian entertainment industry since the late 1980s. While the entire nation is mourning his demise, let's know some special stories about the "King of Comedy".

Some interesting facts about the late comedian Raju Srivastava

1. You will be surprised to know that the real name of Raju Srivastava was not Raju but Satyaprakash Srivastava.
2. Raju Srivastava arrived in Mumbai in the year 1982 in search of opportunities. He also initially worked as an auto-rickshaw driver for a living. Later, he appeared in minor roles in other films.
3. Prior to reality TV shows, Raju Srivastava played supporting roles in Bollywood films such as Maine Pyar Kiya, Baazigar, Aamdani Athani Kharcha Rupaiya, Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon, and others.
4. Apart from humour, Raju Srivastava tried his hand at other things. He also participated in the famous reality television program Bigg Boss 3. Subsequently, he also starred in Nach Baliye and the sixth season of the comic series Mahamuqbala.
5. According to Raju Srivastava, Pakistan had threatened him over the phone in 2010. The incident happened after his remarks on Pakistan and underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.
6. Raju Srivastava participated in the 2005 The Great Indian Laughter Challenge and finished second. After this performance he became famous as "Gajodhar Bhaiya".
7. Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered Raju Srivastava to be a part of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. The comedian has since been seen participating in and supporting the cleanup efforts.
8. Raju Srivastava's sense of humor was highly appreciated. The actor's political influence grew when he gained notoriety for his humour. During the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, he participated in Kanpur as a candidate of the Samajwadi Party.