Karz Actor Raj Kiran’s Mysterious Disappearance, Suffered Mental Illness, Was Last Seen 23 Years Ago

Bollywood has some mysterious stories running through its corridors. Be it a celeb’s untimely death or complete vanishing from the limelight. But what about a popular celeb going missing and the world having no trace of him for decades? Yes, the story is about popular actor, Raj Kiran, who was known for his roles in films like Karz and Arth. One fine day, the actor went missing, and till this day, his family is searching for him.

Raj Kiran’s professional journey

Raj Kiran made his debut with Kaagaz Ki Nao in 1975 and was soon seen in the political satire, Kissa Kursi Ka, which was banned during the Emergency. It was his role in Subhash Ghai’s film Karz, alongside Rishi Kapoor, that earned him widespread recognition. After a few years, Raj Kiran gave a stellar performance in Mahesh Bhatt’s Arth alongside Shabana Azmi. While in the 1980s Raj built a strong presence in the film industry, his career dipped in the 1990s, during which he only got supporting roles.

Raj Kiran spent 34 days in jail for trespassing

In 1996, Raj Kiran garnered limelight when it was reported that the actor was arrested and put behind bars for trespassing on the Puttaparthi Sai Baba Ashram. According to reports, the actor had hired a tractor and a ladder to access the premises at night. However, he was later released on bail by his father.

A year after his arrest, Raj spoke about his ordeal in jail during an interview with Cineblitz. Recalling the trauma he faced while spending 34 days behind bars, he said:

“The trauma that I faced when I was put in jail, is indescribable. You can never understand the fear one feels, when you are told that you cannot be bailed out. I spent 34 days in jail and sitting there, I was not sure if I would ever be free. That is a very scary feeling.”

Raj Kiran disappeared mysteriously

Raj Kiran married Roopa while he was actively working in Bollywood, and the couple was blessed with two daughters, Rishika Mahtani and Mannat Mahtani. When Raj’s films stopped working, and he wasn’t getting any roles, the actor went into depression, and it impacted his personal life too. Raj moved to the US for a brief period, and for a while, he remained in touch with his family. But then, one day, he disappeared and was never seen again. According to his daughter, the actor was last seen in 2003.

Raj Kiran suffered from mental health issues

The actor suffered mental health issues, as per his family, and was also in a state of depression. In an interaction with Rediff, Mahesh Bhatt shared his memory of meeting Raj at a mental health facility in Mumbai. Speaking about the same, he said:

“Many years ago when he was in the psychiatric ward of Masina Hospital. He was not the Raj Kiran I had interacted with. This was a sombre-looking, depressed individual and with great difficulty he communicated with me. There was no joie de vivre, no energy that he exuded every time he met us; his friends, that is.”

Rishi Kapoor revealed finding Raj Kiran in a mental health facility in Atlanta

During a conversation with Subhash K Jha, Rishi Kapoor, who worked with Raj Kiran in Karz, revealed the actor’s whereabouts, as communicated by his brother. Rishi Kapoor also stated that Raj was managing his own treatment with his prior investments. In his words:

“I was so relieved when Govind told me Raj was alive. But he was confined to an institution in Atlanta due to health problems.”

Raj Kiran’s daughter revealed the family is still looking for him

In 2011, Raj Kiran and Roopa’s daughter, Rishika Mahtani, opened up about her father’s health and shared some heartbreaking details about him. The doting daughter revealed that reports of her father getting treated in a hospital in Atlanta are false and that they are still searching for him. Stating that he suffered mental health issues before being disappeared, the family is still hopeful to find him.

Raj Kiran’s disappearance remains one of the most baffling and tragic unsolved mysteries of Bollywood.

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