Bollywood News - Popular actor Chiranjeevi Sarja passes away at 39 after...

Aden - Yasmine El Tohamy - Popular Kannada film actor Chiranjeevi Sarja died at a private hospital here following a cardiac arrest, an official said on Sunday. He was 39.

"Sarja was brought to our hospital (Apollo) in an unresponsive state. Attempts to revive him failed and was declared dead by the doctors," the official told IANS here.

In a statement later, the hospital said Sarja was shifted to emergency room for treatment after he was brought to the hospital in an unresponsive state at around 2.20 p.m.

"On examination, Sarja was found unresponsive with absent carotid pulse, cold peripheries and bilateral dilated pupils. Hence cardio-pulmonary resuscitation was started according to the latest advanced cardiac life support protocol," said Apollo Hospitals Jayanagar''s unit head Yatheesh Govindaiah in the statement.

The doctors continued resuscitation to revive Sarja till 3.48pm.

"During the course, intravenous medications, inotropes and advanced airway was used, pulse was achieved three times, later continued to be asystolic. He was declared dead at 3.48 p.m.," added the statement.

Beginning his career in 2009 with "Vayupatra", Sarja acted in 22 sandalwood films, including "Shivarjuna", which was released weeks before the Covid-19 induced lockdown was enforced on March 25 and theatres have been shut since the

Sarja married Kannada actress Meghana Raj in 2018. She is the daughter of Pramila Joshai and Sundar Raj.

Sarja is also nephew of famous multilingual South Indian actor Arjun Sarja.

Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa mourned Sarja''s death and expressed condolences to his bereaved family.

State Congress unit president D.K. Shivakumar, former state chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and scores of sandalwood cine artistes, directors and producers expressed shock and grief over the untimely death of Sarja.