Arjun Bijlani’s wife Neha with her father during happier times.

The new year began on a deeply somber note for television actor and host Arjun Bijlani and his family. His father-in-law, Rakesh Chandra Swami, passed away on Thursday morning after a sudden medical emergency, leaving the family in shock and grief.

Rakesh Chandra Swami was admitted to the ICU after suffering a stroke and remained on a ventilator for three days before he passed away on January 1. He was 73. According to a report in Hindustan Times, a family member shared details of the sudden incident, saying, “He was fit and fine, set to have dinner when suddenly he suffered a stroke and was rushed to Bellevue Hospital, where he was on a ventilator. The entire family is in shock, as Neha and Arjun had met the family before flying off. It was a sudden shock, and we are all still grappling with the situation.” Swami is survived by his son Nishank and daughter Neha, who is married to Arjun Bijlani.

Arjun and Neha rushed back from Dubai

Arjun and his wife Neha were in Dubai for New Year celebrations when the medical emergency occurred. Reports suggest the couple immediately cut short their holiday and flew back to Mumbai on Tuesday to be with the family during this difficult time. As of now, neither Arjun nor Neha has released an official statement.

Sources close to the family also revealed that Arjun shared a particularly close bond with his father-in-law, especially since the actor lost his own father at a young age.

A quiet New Year before tragedy

Just days before the incident, Arjun had spoken to Times Now about his New Year plans. He had shared that he had recently started shooting for Laughter Chefs Season 3 and did not have elaborate celebrations planned. He mentioned that he was looking forward to a simple dinner with Neha and their son, and added that his resolution for 2025 was to work on becoming a better version of himself.

Arjun Bijlani’s recent work

On the professional front, Arjun was last seen on the reality show Rise and Fall, hosted by Ashneer Grover. He emerged as the winner after defeating social media influencer Aarush Bhola and reality TV star Arbaz Patel. The actor took home the winner’s trophy along with a prize money of Rs 28 lakh. Arjun and Neha have been married since 2013 and are known to keep their personal life largely private.