Raj Kaushal was an Indian producer, writer, film director, and stunt director. He was the husband of the famous Indian actor and TV host Mandira Bedi.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Raj was born on Friday, 24 July 1970 (age 49 years; at the time of death) in Mumbai. His zodiac sign is Leo.
A childhood picture of Raj Kaushal
An old picture of Raj Kaushal and his sister
He did his schooling at St. Anne’s High School, Mumbai, and later, he pursued his graduation from the University of Mumbai. [1]Facebook
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 10″
Eye Colour: Brown
Hair Colour: Bald (earlier Black)
Family
Parents & Siblings
His father has passed away, and his mother’s name is Kanta Chatterji. Raj had one sister.
Raj Kaushal with his father and son
Raj Kaushal with his mother
Husband & Children
He met the Indian actress Mandira Bedi in 1996 while he was working as a chief assistant and was taking auditions for a show ‘Philips 10.’ By that time, Mandira had gained immense popularity with her TV show ‘Shanti’ (1994) and Hindi film ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ (1995). Raj first met her when she came for an audition, he instantly developed a liking for her. In an interview, Raj talked about meeting Mandira for the first time. He said,
We met seven years ago at producer Nitin Manmohan’s office. I was Mukul Anand’s chief assistant and was busy with auditions for a countdown show called Philips Top 10. Mandira was also called for an audition. That’s when I saw her for the first time. She was wearing a red and white striped T-shirt and khaki pants. I had seen her in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, but I never really noticed her till then. We would meet quite frequently at Mukul Anand’s house. It took us three meetings before I knew that she was the one. I told her that I was looking at marriage. She is vegetarian and I’m non-vegetarian. Some of our first dates were in Udipi Hotels.”
An old picture of Raj Kaushal and Mandira Bedi
Later, they started meeting more frequently, and soon, fell in love with each other. During an interview, Mandira talked about Raj. She said,
He is a basic person, very honest. There is nothing fake about him like people who don masks to hide their true selves. With Raj, it’s – what you see is what you get.”
During an interview, while talking about Mandira, Raj said,
Mandira is a cultured, intelligent and beautiful girl. Being from the same industry, she was well aware of how hectic life can be. She has always been supportive, even during our hard times. It was simple. I met her, liked her and went after her. I don’t think any man would want to miss such an opportunity.”
He further talked about his first meeting with Mandira’s parents. He said,
There were no objections from my parents, In fact, my mother was really happy that I was settling down. Meeting her parents was a little awkward at first as she comes from a family of bankers. Her father is a complete corporate person. But they warmed up to me soon. I guess they had no choice!”
On the eve of Valentine’s day, on 14 February 1999, the couple got married following two marriage rituals- firstly the couple tied the knot according to Arya Samaj, and then they followed Anand Karaj ceremony.
Raj Kaushal and Mandira Bedi’s wedding picture
After almost 12 years, the couple was blessed with a baby boy, Vir Kaushal. In July 2020, Raj and Mandira adopted a girl child and named her Tara Bedi Kaushal. [2]Hindustan Times
Raj Kaushal with his wife and children
Career
He worked as a director in many Hindi films including ‘Shaadi Ka Laddoo’ (2004), ‘Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi’ (1999), and ‘Anthony Kaun Hai’ (2006). He produced a few Hindi films like ‘Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi’ (1999), ‘Shaadi Ka Laddoo’ (2004), and ‘My Brother… Nikhil’ (2005). Raj directed the stunts in the Hindi film ‘Bekhudi’ in 1992. In 2021, he was working on the Hindi web series ‘Akkad Bakkad.’
Raj Kaushal while shooting for a film
Car/Bike Collection
Cars
- Toyota Fortuner 4×4
Raj Kaushal posing with his Toyota Fortuner car
- Tata Nexon EV
Raj Kaushal with his wife and car
Motorcycles
- Harley Davidson
Raj Kaushal with his Harley Davidson motorcycle
- Ducati
Raj Kaushal posing on his Ducati motorcycle
Death
On 30 June 2021 at 4.30 am, he died of cardiac arrest. [3]Hindustan Times On his demise, many popular Indian celebrities shared their grievances. The Indian actor Ronit Roy shared a heartfelt message on his social media account. He wrote,
And just like that, he’s gone, even without saying good bye. Too numb with grief and shock to react. This is not fair, just not fair. Raj, my friend, my brother, keep spreading the cheer where ever your next abode is. Knowing your penchant for good homes, I am sure you are looking for a good spot in heaven RIGHT NOW! We all loved you dearly and you know that. Unfortunately, we kept saying next week and that week never came. See you on the other side my bro. Till we raise hell again, REST IN PEACE.”
The Indian actress Divya Dutta tweeted,
What! Omg! No! Gone oo soon Raj!”
The Indian actress Tisca Chopra tweeted,
My heart goes out to @mandybedi and her two lovely kids. #RIP our happy smiling Raj.. your gentle soul will be missed.”
Mandira Bedi at Raj Kaushal’s funeral
Facts/Trivia
- Raj was fond of reading books, travelling, and going on motorcycle rides with his male friends.
Raj Kaushal holding a book by Amish
- He had a tattoo of his wife’s nickname ‘Mandu’ inked on his left chest, and a tattoo of his name’s initials ‘RK’ inked on his right arm.
Raj Kaushal’s tattoo
Raj Kaushal’s tattoos
- He was a big supporter of the IPL cricket team Mumbai Indians.
- In 2003, there were rumours that his wife, Mandira, was having an affair with the Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh. At that time, Raj made a strong statement denying all such rumours. He said,
I’ve known Yuvraj Singh since he joined the Indian cricket team so it doesn’t make much of a difference. It is in times like these that trust plays a vital role in a relationship. Just because you are seen with someone in public, the media creates stories to spice things up. When this happened, Mandira was in South Africa and I was shooting for a commercial in Malaysia.”
- The Indian actor Ashish Chaudhary, was his long time best friend.
Raj Kaushal with Ashish Chaudhary
- On 1 May 2019, he received the Newsmaker’s Achievers- Entertainment Award for Best Direction for one of his films.
- Raj was a spiritual person and often used to visit the nearby temples.
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- He was an animal lover and had a pet dog named Jay.
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