Shekhar Suman recently opened up about the most difficult phase of his life, when he lost his 11-year-old son, Aayush. The child suffered from a rare, incurable heart condition called endomyocardial fibrosis (EMF) and passed away due to the illness in 1995.
'Papa, I don’t want to go. Please save me'
Speaking to The Lallantop, Shekhar recalled how he was struggling to find work when he learnt about his son's diagnosis. With Aayush terminally ill, he eventually decided to take up television projects to support his family. He chose to work on the TV show Dekh Bhai Dekh, produced by Jaya Bachchan, and recalled keeping his phone close to him during shoots so he could stay updated about his son's health.
Shekhar also recalled the final moments of his son’s life. He said, “Before his death, he had started reciting Sanskrit shlokas. He was 11. I don’t know how he did it. He said he saw a golden light coming, held my hand and told me, ‘Papa, I don’t want to go. Please save me.’ Then he started reciting some Sanskrit shlokas, and we were flustered. He then told each one of us who were with him at that time, including our driver, that he loved us. He was like an angel; he was a beautiful child. I still don’t know how that tragedy happened to us. But I guess that’s destiny. There’s no bigger tragedy that can befall parents than losing their children."
'Wife begged the doctors to let him go'
Shekhar recalled that his son’s condition deteriorated to such an extent that his wife, Alka Suman, eventually pleaded with doctors to let him go. “His condition worsened so much that at one point, my wife begged the doctors to let him go. I told her, ‘What are you saying? We will fight till the end.’ But she said, ‘This is the end. Let him go; he is suffering a lot.’ She was the ‘savvy mother who begged for her son’s death.’ She was right, we couldn’t bear seeing him suffer like that,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Shekhar recalled that his son’s condition deteriorated to such an extent that his wife, Alka Suman, eventually pleaded with doctors to let him go. “His condition worsened so much that at one point, my wife begged the doctors to let him go. I told her, ‘What are you saying? We will fight till the end.’ But she said, ‘This is the end. Let him go; he is suffering a lot.’ She was the ‘savvy mother who begged for her son’s death.’ She was right, we couldn’t bear seeing him suffer like that,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Shekhar admitted that after his son’s death, he lost interest in money and fame. However, he continued working to support the rest of his family.
Shekhar Suman hosted a digital talk show called Shekhar Tonite, which premiered on May 15, 2026,and recently concluded its first eason. The show marked his highly anticipated return to the late-night talk show format and political satire after nearly 14 years away from the genre, following his run with Movers & Shakers.
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