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Shah Rukh Khan's first co-star, Divya Bharti, was 90s Bollywood sensation and highest-paid actress of the time. SRK and Divya Bharti starred together in 1992 movie Deewana, which turned out to be his big break into Bollywood. However, on April 5, 1993, Bharti died under mysterious circumstances, leading to various conspiracy theories. Later, it was declared that the late actress died after falling from the balcony and it was officially ruled as an accidental fall. Khan was in Delhi when he heard the news and was deeply shocked. He recalled hearing their song Aisi Deewangi from Deewana playing on the radio and thought he had become a big star, only to be met with the devastating news of Bharti's passing.

Interestingly, years after Bharti's death, SRK starred in the Farah Khan directorial movie Om Shanti Om, which bore some similarities to Divya Bharti's tragic death. In the movie, a young, beautiful actress with a secret marriage to a producer dies at the peak of her career.. Khan's character, in the movie, pays homage to the golden era of Bollywood.

Is Om Shanti Om based on Divya Bharti's mysterious death?

Om Shanti Om is NOT directly based on the story of Divya Bharti's life, but the film contains striking parallels with the infamous accident. Let's take a look:

Secret Marriage To A Producer: In Om Shanti Om, the character Shantipriya, played by Deepika Padukone, is secretly married to producer Mukesh Mehra, a plot point that mirrors Divya Bharti's real-life secret marriage to film producer Sajid Nadiadwala.

Tragic Death Of Rising Star: The reel and real stars- Shantipriya and Divya Bharti, respectively, suddenly died in a tragic manner.

Unsolved Mystery: Both cases were shrouded in mystery. Was it an accident, a tragic mistake or something more sinister? The film weaves these themes, blurring the lines between reality and fiction.

SRK And Divya Bharti's Father's Name Similarity: Divya Bharti's father's name was Om Prakash Bharti, while SRK's character's name in Om Shanti Om is Om Prakash Makhija.

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Actress Divya Bharti (Image: YouTube)

Bollywood Defended Sajid Nadiadwala

Sajid Nadiadwala, Divya Bharti's husband, faced suspicion over her death, but those close to him dismissed the rumours, describing him as 'devastated' by her passing, as revealed by Divya's close friend and actress, Guddi Maruti.

According to a report in ETimes, Maruti had said, "Sajid was like... gone. He was in bad shape. He wasn’t even home when the incident happened. Divya bent down from her window to see if Sajid’s car had come, and that’s when she fell down. Neeta Lulla was there. They were talking when Divya turned, looking for the car, and Neeta saw her falling down."

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While Om Shanti Om may not be directly based on Divya Bharti's life, the film's striking similarities to her story have captivated audiences and sparked endless debate. Whether seen as a tribute, coincidence or hidden message, the parallels between the film and Bharti's tragic tale continue to intrigue Bollywood fans and theorists, cementing the movie's place in cinematic history.