India’s famous pop icon Usha Uthup’s husband, Jani Chacko Uthup, passed away in Kolkata on Monday. Jani, who was 78, felt some discomfort while he was watching tv at home and was then taken to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead. The cause of his death was a cardiac arrest, according to the family.
Besides Usha, Jani is survived by his two children, Sunny Uthup and Anjali Uthup. His final solemnities will be performed by the family on Tuesday July 9.
Usha and Jani’s daughter Anjali took to her social media handle to pay tribute to his late father and wrote, “Appa… Gone as well before long… But as beautifully as you lived… Most nice looking man in the world… We adore you! A genuine man of his word and Lawrencian to the centre and the finest Tea Taster.”
Jani, who worked in the tea plantation industry, was Usha Uthup’s second husband. The singer was earlier married to the late Ramu.
Jani and Usha Uthup’s love story began at Trincas, an iconic nightclub in Kolkata. The romance that bloomed in the early 1970s later culminated in marriage.
Usha was honoured with the Padma Bhushan on the eve of the 75th Republic Day this year. After receiving the award, she had expressed her thanks and gratitude to her family for their unwavering support throughout her illustrious career.
Usha became an overnight sensation after she got her big break with Dev Anand’s Hare Rama Hare Krishna. She went on to sing many chartbusters including One Two Cha Cha Cha, Hari Om Hari, Koi Yahan Nache Nache, Darling, among others.
Recently, she lent her voice to the jazz number Tilasmi Baahein in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s latest film, Heeramandi.