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Mumbai: Actor Ananya Raj, known for films including 7 Hours to Go, The Final Exit and Ghost, has died at the age of 35. Her family confirmed the news nearly a month after her death, revealing that she passed away peacefully in her sleep on July 15 after dealing with physical and mental health difficulties for more than a year.

The delayed announcement came through a statement posted on her official Instagram account. Her family described her as a strong-spirited person who “lived like a Queen” and said she had fought hard during a difficult period in her life.

The family has requested privacy and quietude as they come to terms with the loss. The specific cause of death has not been disclosed.

Family confirms Ananya Raj’s death

Ananya Raj died in the early hours of July 15, according to the statement shared by her family. The announcement was made several weeks later, leaving many of her fans shocked that the news had not been made public earlier.

Her family said she had been experiencing physical and mental discomfort for over a year. Despite the challenges, they remembered her as someone who continued to fight through the difficult period.

In their tribute, the family described her as a “strong-spirited girl” and said her absence would be deeply felt.

They also appealed to fans and well-wishers to pray for her soul while requesting that the family be given space to grieve privately.

Ananya Raj’s death came as a shock to fans

The news came as a surprise to many people who had followed the actor’s work.

Because her death was announced nearly a month after she passed away, fans learnt about the loss only after the family posted the statement on social media.

Tributes subsequently appeared across social media, with fans remembering her performances and expressing disbelief over her untimely death.

The family has not released further details about the health problems she had been facing, and there has been no official confirmation of a specific medical condition or cause of death.

She made her Bollywood debut with ‘7 Hours to Go’

Ananya Raj entered Bollywood with the 2016 film 7 Hours to Go .

The film marked an early stage in her acting career and was followed by further appearances in Hindi cinema.

She later featured in The Final Exit in 2017, continuing to build her filmography with projects across different genres.

Although she did not appear in a large number of mainstream productions, her work gave her recognition among audiences who followed independent and regional cinema.

‘Ghost’ remains one of her recognised films

Ananya Raj appeared in the 2019 film Ghost , which became one of the projects most associated with her career.

The film was part of her Hindi-language work and helped introduce her to a wider audience.

Her filmography also extended beyond Bollywood, reflecting her interest in working across India’s regional film industries.

She also worked in regional cinema

Ananya Raj was not limited to Hindi films.

She appeared in the Telugu film Thaggede Le , expanding her work into regional cinema. She was also associated with the trilingual project Madrasi Gang .

Her career therefore included projects in multiple languages and industries.

Her work across Hindi and regional productions showed an attempt to establish herself beyond a single section of the Indian entertainment industry.

Ananya Raj also appeared in music videos

Apart from films, Ananya Raj was associated with music videos released by major music labels, including T-Series, Zee Music and Times Music.

These appearances helped her maintain a presence in the wider entertainment industry beyond feature films.

Her career included acting projects as well as other entertainment assignments, giving her a diverse body of work despite its relatively short span.

Family remembers her as a strong-spirited person

The tribute from her family focused less on her professional achievements and more on her personality.

They remembered her as a strong woman who continued to fight despite the difficulties she faced over the previous year.

The phrase describing her as someone who “lived like a Queen” became one of the most widely shared parts of the family’s tribute.

Her family also used the affectionate term “Bachcha” while remembering her, underlining the deeply personal nature of the statement.

Cause of death has not been disclosed

While the family said Ananya had experienced physical and mental discomfort for more than a year, no specific cause of death has been announced.

Reports that speculate about a particular medical condition or reason for her death should therefore be treated cautiously.

The family has provided only the information included in its statement and has specifically asked for privacy.

Her death was described as peaceful, with the family saying she passed away in her sleep.

A career across Hindi and regional cinema

Ananya Raj’s career included work in Hindi cinema as well as Telugu and multilingual productions.

Her notable credits include 7 Hours to Go, The Final Exit, Ghost and Thaggede Le. She was also associated with Madrasi Gang.

While she did not have an extensive mainstream filmography, her work covered several projects and languages.

Her death has brought renewed attention to those films and to the career she was building in the Indian entertainment industry.

Industry mourns the young actor

The All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) also paid tribute to Ananya Raj following the family’s announcement.

The organisation described her death as an untimely loss for the film fraternity and remembered her contribution to projects including 7 Hours to Go, The Final Exit and Ghost.

The association also extended condolences to her family and loved ones, saying her work and memories would remain part of the Indian film industry.

Why the announcement came weeks later

The family’s decision to wait before publicly announcing the death has drawn attention because Ananya died on July 15 but the news became public only in August.

The family has not indicated that there was any specific reason beyond their desire for privacy and quietude during the grieving process.

Their statement makes clear that they wanted time to process the loss before sharing the news with the public. (Gulf News)

Ananya Raj’s work will be remembered

For audiences familiar with her films, Ananya Raj’s performances in 7 Hours to Go, The Final Exit and Ghost remain an important part of her professional legacy.

Her work in regional cinema and music videos also reflected her efforts to explore different areas of entertainment.

Her career ended much earlier than expected, but the projects she appeared in have given audiences a way to remember her contribution to Indian cinema.

Conclusion

Actor Ananya Raj has died at 35, with her family confirming that she passed away peacefully in her sleep on July 15 after dealing with physical and mental health difficulties for more than a year. The family made the news public weeks later through her official Instagram account and requested privacy during the grieving period.

Raj made her Bollywood debut with 7 Hours to Go in 2016 and subsequently appeared in The Final Exit and Ghost. She also worked in regional cinema, including the Telugu film Thaggede Le, and was associated with the trilingual project Madrasi Gang.

Her family remembered her as a strong-spirited woman who “lived like a Queen”, while the AICWA mourned her death as a loss for the wider film fraternity. The exact cause of her death has not been disclosed, and her family’s request for privacy remains central to the announcement.