Singer Usha Uthup's Husband Jani Chacko Passes Away In Kolkata After Massive Cardiac Arrest

Indian pop icon Usha Uthup's husband, Jani Chacko Uthup, passed away in Kolkata on Monday, their family announced.

New Delhi: Indian pop icon Usha Uthup's husband, Jani Chacko Uthup, passed away in Kolkata on Monday, their family announced. Jani, 78, experienced discomfort while watching TV at home and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead. The cause of death was a massive cardiac arrest, according to the family.

About Usha Uthup's husband Jani Chacko

Jani, Usha’s second husband, had a career in the tea plantation sector. The couple first met at the iconic Trincas in the early '70s. Usha had been previously married to the late Ramu.

Jani is survived by Usha, their son Sunny, and their daughter Anjali. The family stated that the last rites would be held on Tuesday.

About Usha Uthup

Usha Uthup, 76, was recently honoured with the Padma Bhushan by the Indian government. She began her singing career at a nightclub in Chennai and was discovered by legendary actor Dev Anand at a nightclub in Delhi. He facilitated her Bollywood debut in his 1971 film 'Hare Rama Hare Krishna.'

Usha sang numerous songs for composers RD Burman and Bappi Lahiri during the disco era of the 1970s and 1980s, including hits like "One Two Cha Cha Cha," "Hari Om Hari," "Doston Se Pyar Kiya," "Shaan Se," "Ramba," "Koi Yahan Aha Nache Nache," and "Naaka Bandi." More recently, she performed "Vande Mataram" from 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham,' "Darling" from '7 Khoon Maaf,' and the title track for 'Drishyam 2' last year. She is also known for the theme song of the popular TV show 'Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai' and memorable jingles like Amul.

Usha has also sung in multiple South Indian films, including Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam. She has acted in several movies, most notably as Priyanka Chopra's house help, Maggie Aunty, in the 2011 black comedy '7 Khoon Maaf.'

Usha Uthup on winning Padma Bhushan

In an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, Usha shared her feelings about receiving the Padma Bhushan earlier this year, saying, "I couldn’t believe it. I got a call from the ministry in Delhi and was told to keep it under wraps until they announced it. I can imagine if I learned classical music... but I was someone who sings all genres, including jazz, folk, or foreign languages. I started my career as a nightclub stage singer and did whatever few films I got. They were all big hits, but one does really think how this honour happened."