Popular television and film actor Sidharth Shukla has died on Thursday following a massive heart attack in the morning. He was 40.

He is survived by his mother and two sisters.

"He was brought dead to the hospital some time ago," the senior Cooper Hospital official told PTI.

Shukla, best known for his role in TV show "Balika Vadhu", began his career in showbiz as a model and then moved on to acting. He made his debut with the lead role in the TV show "Babul Ka Aangann Chootey Na".

He later appeared on shows such as "Jaane Pehchaane Se… Ye Ajnabbi", "Love U Zindagi" but became a household name with "Balika Vadhu".

He also participated in reality shows, including "Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 6", "Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi 7" and "Bigg Boss 13".

In 2014, Shukla made his Bollywood debut with the Karan Johar-produced "Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania".