Shekhar Suman recently opened up about the most difficult phase of his life, when he lost his 11-year-old son, Aayush. The child suffered from a rare, incurable heart condition called endomyocardial fibrosis (EMF) and passed away due to the illness in 1995.
He was 11. Shekhar Suman hosted a digital talk show called Shekhar Tonite, which premiered on May 15, 2026,and recently concluded its first eason. The show marked his highly anticipated return to the late-night talk show format and political satire after nearly 14 years away from the genre, following his run with Movers & Shakers.
He chose to work on the TV show Dekh Bhai Dekh, produced by Jaya Bachchan, and recalled keeping his phone close to him during shoots so he could stay updated about his son’s health. Speaking to The Lallantop, Shekhar recalled how he was struggling to find work when he learnt about his son’s diagnosis. With Aayush terminally ill, he eventually decided to take up television projects to support his family. Shekhar also recalled the final moments of his son’s life. I don’t know how he did it. Please save me. Then he started reciting some Sanskrit shlokas, and we were flustered. He was like an angel; he was a beautiful child. I still don’t know how that tragedy happened to us. But I guess that’s destiny. There’s no bigger tragedy that can befall parents than losing their children. Shekhar recalled that his son’s condition deteriorated to such an extent that his wife, Alka Suman, eventually pleaded with doctors to let him go. “His condition worsened so much that at one point, my wife begged the doctors to let him go. We will fight till the end. Let him go; he is suffering a lot. She was the ‘savvy mother who begged for her son’s death. She was right, we couldn’t bear seeing him suffer like that,” he added.
He said, “Before his death, he had started reciting Sanskrit shlokas. He said he saw a golden light coming, held my hand and told me, ‘Papa, I don’t want to go. He then told each one of us who were with him at that time, including our driver, that he loved us. I told her, ‘What are you saying? But she said, ‘This is the end.
