In a surprising development, actor Sudhanshu Pandey has officially announced his departure from the popular television series Anupamaa. The actor, who played a pivotal role in the show, took to Instagram to share the news with his fans, marking the end of his four-year stint on the series.

Pandey’s departure has sparked speculation about an alleged rift between him and his co-star, Rupali Ganguly, who plays the titular character. Addressing these rumors in an interview with The Indian Express, Pandey dismissed the claims as baseless. “Actually, yeh sab cheezein hoti hai, khaali dimaag ke wajeh se hoti hai (all these things happen because people speak without thinking). Where do these rumors come from? I don’t understand. Iska koi wajood nahi hota hai (there is no substance to it). Indulging in these discussions is like wasting your time. There is absolutely no point in even giving attention to such rumors,” he stated.

In his Instagram post, Pandey reflected on his time on Anupamaa, expressing gratitude for the love and criticism his character received. “For the past four years, I have been connecting with all of you through a daily soap opera, for which I have received a lot of love and also some hatred. But then again, hate is a form of love too. If you all had not disliked my character so much, I would have felt that I was not portraying it properly,” he wrote.

Pandey also revealed that he has been absent from the show since the Raksha Bandhan episode and felt it was important to inform his audience about his departure. He added, “However, we all must move forward in our lives. I ask for your support in my future works.”

Anupamaa, which premiered on July 13, 2020, is directed by Romesh Kalra and also streams on Disney+ Hotstar. The show is an official remake of Star Jalsha’s Bengali series Sreemoyee and features a talented ensemble cast, including Madalsa Sharma and Gaurav Khanna in key roles.