"She passed away peacefully in sleep."
It has sadly been confirmed that, Ananya Raj, who worked in primarily Hindi cinema, has passed away.
Ananya died in her sleep on July 15, 2026. She was 27 years old.
In her career, Ananya appeared in films, including 7 Hours To Go (2016), Ghost (2019), and The Final Exit (2017).
On August 15, 2026, her family confirmed the news of her passing on Instagram.
A statement read: “With great pain, we have to announce that Ananya passed away in the wee hours of July 15.
“She passed away peacefully in sleep.
“For over a year, she was going through physical and mental discomfort.
“And she fought like a warrior to overcome them.
“She was a strong, spirited girl and lived like a queen. Your absence will be dearly felt.
“We urge all of you to pray for her soul. And in these trying times, we wish to maintain privacy and quietitude.”
Messages of condolence for Ananya Raj flooded social media.
One user wrote: “She is so beautiful, expressive, and a wonderful soul.
“This is shocking. May her soul rest in peace.”
Another said: “This is shocking and heartbreaking. May you find peace wherever you are.”
A third fan said: “So shocked to read the news of Ananya passing away.
“I was her fan for a long time. She had an innocent, beautiful face.”
In a previous interview, Ananya Raj spoke about her experiences working in different film industries, including Bollywood, Tamil, and Telugu.
She said: “Every industry has its advantages and disadvantages, but the Telugu industry is a blessing for a female newcomer, as it does welcome many outsiders compared to other industries.
“Though working in the South might be double the work due to the language barrier.”
“But, you know, whatever it is, my heart is in Bollywood and until I see myself doing well in Bollywood, I wont be satisfied.”
Ananya also revealed her inspirations in acting.
She explained: “I grew up watching Preity G Zinta and Rani Mukerji – I was totally amazed by Preity’s charm and persona.
“I remember watching songs and clips of Karan Johar’s Kal Ho Na Ho every day after school.
“In fact, I performed on her songs, ‘It’s The Time To Disco’, ‘Bumbro’, and ‘Salaam Namaste’ in school functions.
“I salute actresses such as Kajal Aggarwal, Taapsee Pannu, and Tamannaah who have pulled off huge budgeted films in the South successfully despite not knowing the language during initial days.
“They too kind of inspired me.”
