Actor Ujjwal Sharma has broken his silence on the controversy surrounding the demise of his former Saajan Ghar co-star Sanchita Ugale. Speaking about the emotional and professional toll it took on him, the actor says he was devastated by both the tragic loss and the public scrutiny that followed.

“It was a nightmare for me. Firstly, I got to know about Sanchita’s demise, and it was extremely shocking. I had always tried to console and motivate her. Secondly, I was shattered that my name got linked to the incident. I started receiving death threats, abusive comments and endless trolling. Without knowing the facts, people judged me. It literally broke me,” he says.

Urging people not to jump to conclusions, Ujjwal adds, “Being an actor, your image is everything, and mine was destroyed in a single day. I just want to say that people shouldn’t judge anyone without knowing the truth.”

Recalling their association, the actor says he met Sanchita on the sets of Saajan Ghar, where they became friends while working together. “As lead actors, we were part of almost every scene, so naturally we got to know each other well. She had shared with us that she had gone through a breakup and was finding it difficult to cope. I always encouraged her to focus on her career and reminded her that life moves on.”

According to Ujjwal, Sanchita’s health gradually deteriorated, eventually leading to her replacement in the show. “Even after leaving the show, she messaged me asking about the actress replacing her. I told her to concentrate on getting better. After that, we weren’t really in touch because of our work schedules.”

He alleges that months later, he unexpectedly received abusive messages from her over a ₹3,000 food bill. “I didn’t even remember it initially. I immediately transferred the money. The screenshots of that conversation are already in the public domain, and I have also submitted them to the police as part of my statement. After that exchange, we never spoke again.”

Ujjwal also claims Sanchita had apologised to him weeks before that argument. “She had messaged saying I had always motivated her and that she regretted not listening to my advice. That’s why I couldn’t understand why she later became abusive.”

The actor says he has fully cooperated with the investigation. “The police asked me about our friendship, her health, her personal struggles and our conversations. I shared everything I knew because I wanted to help the investigation.”

Describing the aftermath, Ujjwal says the controversy severely impacted both his mental health and career. “My parents received distressing calls, my phone number was leaked and I kept getting abusive messages and death threats. I had signed a contract for a Star Plus show Sayonee produced by Ravi Dubey and Sargun Mehta and also had two major music projects lined up, but I lost all of them. Every actor wants to work with producers like them. I worked for five years to reach that stage, and within moments, everything was gone. Even today, I feel people judge me because of the controversy. I only hope the truth comes out through the investigation.”