The Dirty Picture actor Arya Banerjee found dead; other celebs we lost in 2020

The year 2020 hasn't been easy on any of us. The COVID-19 pandemic struck the world hard – claimed many lives and brought nations to a standstill as we know it. The world of entertainment also took a major hit, not due to the lack of films or theatres and work, but due to the loss of many celebs, whose void is hard to fill. Another celeb gone too soon is Arya Banerjee from "The Dirty Picture" fame.

Arya, who had made quite a name for herself in Bollywood, was found dead in her apartment in south Kolkata on Friday. The police found the body of the 33-year-old actor lying in her bedroom after they broke the door of her third-floor apartment open after Arya's domestic help got suspicious when the doorbell and phone calls went unanswered.

The police said the body of the late actress has been sent for post mortem examination and the forensic team has collected samples from her room too. Until now, the reason for her death remains unknown.

2020 took away other stars

There are many familiar faces from Bollywood and TV space that we lost this year. From legendary Soumitra Chatterjee to SP Balasubrahmanyam and many more, 2020 has been a year full of griefs. But the show must go on, so even as we remember these actors and the work they did during their lifetime, the best way to honour them is by taking the legacy forward.

The legendary actor Soumitra Chatterjee died on November 15 at the age of 85 after his condition deteriorated in the ICU over the last 40 days that he was hospitalised. Chatterjee had tested positive for COVID-19.

SP Balasubrahmanyam died on September 25 aged 74. The popular playback singer had been on life-support since August 14 due to severe COVID-19 pneumonia. Balu or SPB as he was famously called recorded over 40,000 songs in 16 languages in 5 decades.

Saroj Khan died on July 2 aged 71. The ace choreographer passed away after a cardiac arrest and had been complaining of breathing issues for a while. Saroj Khan has choreographed over 2,000 songs in over three and a half decades.

Sushant Singh Rajput died by suicide on June 14 and his death has opened Bollywood's Pandora box, reeling in celebs in various controversies, opening investigations into drugs, starting a nepotism debate louder than ever and more. He was aged 34, and had done some excellent work in movies like M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story, Dil Bechara, Kai Po Che and more.

Irrfan Khan passed away on April 29 after he was hospitalised for colon infection. He was aged 54 and had been fighting neuroendocrine tumour for several years. His remarkable work in Bollywood has left a void in the industry. Films like "Hindi Medium", "Angrezi Medium" and "Life In A Metro" are some of his finest works.

A veteran Bollywood actor who aced every role that came his way, Rishi Kapoor breathed his last on April 30 at the age of 67. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2018 and was in New Year undergoing treatment for almost a year before he returned to India in September 2019.

Wajid Khan of the popular Sajid-Wajid duo died on June 1 due to cardiac arrest. His work in Salman Khan's Dabangg films is the highlight of his contributions to the Hindi music industry.

Jagdeep, the veteran Bollywood comedian, died on July 8 due to age-related health issues. He was aged 81. He played some important supporting roles like Salman Khan's father in Rajkumar Santoshi's "Andaaz Apna Apna" (1994) and Soorma Bhopali in Ramesh Sippy's blockbuster "Sholay".

Divya Bhatnagar died of COVID-19 on December 7. The TV actress of "Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai" was hospitalised undergoing treatment since November after contracting the virus. She was 34.