Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai fame actor Divya Bhatnagar passed away on Monday after battling COVID-19 for the past few weeks. The television actor was hospitalised since November after contracting the virus, and was reportedly on ventilator over the past few days. She was 34.
Television actress Devoleena Bhattacharjee, who was a close friend of the late actor, shared on her verified Instagram account: "Jab koi kisi k saath nahi hota tha toh bas tu hi hoti thi...Divu tu hi toh meri apni thi jisse main daant sakti thi, ruth sakti thi, dil ki baat keh sakti thi.. I know life was tooo hard on you.. the pain is intorelable... but i know today you must be in a better place and free from all the sorrows, pains, sadness, cheats, lies.. I will miss you divu and tu bhi jaanti thi I loved you and cared for you... Badi tu thi par bacchi bhi tu hi thi...God bless your soul. Jahan bhi hai tu abhi bas khush reh. (sic)”
"You will be missed & remembered. I love you @divyabhatnagarofficial. Too soon to gone my friend... Om shanti (when nobody was around to help, you would always be there for that person, Divu you were my own, someone who I could scold, get upset with, and confide. I know life was tooo hard on you.. the pain is intorelable... but i know today you must be in a better place and free from all the sorrows, pains, sadness, cheats, lies.. I will miss you divu and you also know how much I loved you and cared for you... You were a grown up yet a child. God bless your soul. May you be happy wherever you are. You will be missed & remembered. I love you). (sic)," Devoleena added.
Nidhi Uttam, her co-star from Star Plus's longest-running drama, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai said she can't fathom the demise of her actor friend.
“I was keeping a track on her health for the last ten days. I spoke to her mother last evening and she said all the reports were normal but her lung infection was not ok. In the night, we came to know that she is quite critical and soon she passed away around 3-30 am. She shouldn't have gone so soon,” Nidhi told PTI.
Several TV actors took to social media to mourn Divya’s death.
Her co-star Ridhiema Tiwari from Sasural Genda Phool said despite going through several problems in her personal life, Divya always appeared positive and smiling. “She was a spiritual person and was seeking peace and happiness. It is sad to let go of this beautiful soul. I remember her for her smile and positivity. She had a lot of love for everyone. I spoke to her about 15 days back and she sounded all charged up for her new show,” Tiwari told PTI.
Film-TV actor Shilpa Shirodkar, who worked with Bhatnagar in Silsila Pyaar Ka , said she is heartbroken. “I'm so so so heartbroken. RIP my dearest Divya,” she said.
A few days before testing positive for COVID-19, Divya had shared a video on Diwali where she can be seen celebrating the festival of lights at home with a lamp in her hand. "Home alone wali diwali," Divya had captioned her post on Instagram.
Apart from Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, Divya had also featured in shows like Tera Yaar Hoon Main, Udaan, Jeet Gayi Toh Piyaa Morre and Vish among others.
(With PTI and IANS inputs)