Speaking to the media, Sanchita’s grandfather, Gopinath, said she rose through the ranks of show business on her own, without any support system. Fondly remembering her, he was overcome with emotion. “She was an extremely talented girl. She had progressed on her own merit and through her hard work. She did not have a godfather,” NDTV quoted him as saying.
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“What she was going through mentally at that time… what the real issue was… because she had no disputes with anyone. Nobody ever spoke ill of her. Nothing was lacking in her life. She had achieved everything through her own efforts. She was a very capable girl. She had made a big name for herself across our entire taluka and Ahmednagar district,” he added.
Why fans knew her as Pooja instead of Sanchita
Gopinath shared that she gained popularity with her performance as Pooja in the television show Saajan Ghar. He revealed that people subsequently began recognising her by her character’s name rather than her own. “Those who watched her television serials knew her by the name Pooja. She became so popular through that character that people across the Ahmednagar district would call her Pooja.”
“Whenever I went somewhere and told people she was my granddaughter, all our relatives and acquaintances across the taluka and district knew her only as Pooja. Hardly anyone there recognised her as Sanchita. Everyone knew her by the name Pooja, which was her character’s name in the serial,” he recalled.
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“It is very painful. Why she did this… only God knows what was going on in her mind. It is completely beyond our understanding,” he said, while also refuting speculations that a lack of work pushed her to suicide. “No, she had work as well,” he added.
AICWA requests investigation
Meanwhile, the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) has stepped forward, requesting Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to order a high-level investigation into her death. However, her father has maintained that he does not suspect any foul play and reportedly informed the Achole police that he doesn’t have suspicions about anyone regarding Sanchita’s death. At the time of the incident, she was alone at her home.
From Kumkum Bhagya to Chhaava: Sanchita Ugale’s acting journey
While it was her performance as Diya Tandon in Kumkum Bhagya that earned Sanchita widespread fame and acclaim, she had also acted in soap operas such as Wagle Ki Duniya and Dilwali Dulha Le Jayegi. Sanchita also played Tarabai in the Vicky Kaushal-Rashmika Mandanna starrer Chhaava (2025) and made an appearance alongside Manoj Bajpayee in Silence 2: The Night Owl Bar Shootout (2024).
After learning about her suicide, Sanchita’s close friend and colleague Megha Sharma revealed that the late actor had been undergoing treatment for depression. “I am in deep shock and out of words. She had some health issues and was suffering from depression since January. She had some personal reasons and was undergoing treatment,” Megha told Moneycontrol.
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She added, “But she was a happy-go-lucky person. In fact, I met her 10 days ago and took her for an audition. She was convinced that she could make it. Later, her phone was switched off. She often said that she would end her life, and we all, including her mother and family, motivated her to stay positive and not think about such negative things. But this time we could not save her. She loved herself.”
According to news agency ANI, Sanchita’s remains were found in a room that was locked from inside. Although her family members rushed her to the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation Hospital, she was declared dead after examination.
“A police team inspected the scene immediately after being alerted about the incident. We did not find anything suspicious at the spot, and no suicide note was recovered,” a police official told PTI. The officials have registered a case of accidental death and launched a probe to ascertain the motive.
Urgent Support: If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, depression, or thoughts of self-harm, please know that support is available. Professional help makes a difference, and you do not have to go through this alone.
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Sanchita Ugale allegedly died by suicide at 22. (Credit: Instagram/@sanchita_ugale)