Sarita Khajuria

Died

2003-03-19

Biography

Sarita Khajuria was a British actress of Indian and Finnish descent. She studied at the North London Collegiate School and gained 5 A grade A-levels.[1] She then went to University and gained a master's degree in International Journalism. Sarita made her acting debut in an episode of the channel 4 sitcom Tandoori Nights in 1987. She made her only major film appearance in the 1993 film Bhaji on the Beach which was directed by Gurinder Chadha. She played Hashida, a young but independent woman and one of the major characters in the film. She also played an uncredited extra in Gurinder Chadha's 2002 hit film Bend It Like Beckham. Apart from these two film appearances she did not act in any other film. In March 2003, she was found dead in the River Thames near Albert Bridge. The cause of death remains unknown, and police at the time expressed that the family was unhappy with the investigation. Her family expressed doubt that she committed suicide. The official verdict on her death has been left open to speculation but there has been no proof to date that her death was murder or suicide. The last time she was seen was boarding a train from Paris to London Waterloo. Her body was found with her backpack but her passport and suitcase were missing. The cause of her death remains unknown to this day. Family and friends remember her as a "talented and lovely young woman.