Actor Rituraj Singh passed away at the age of 59. The actor, who made a strong impact with his performance in TV and films, suffered a cardiac arrest in February.

Vikas Sethi who played Robbie in 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham' has passed away at the age of 48. He is survived by his wife Jhanvi Sethi and twin boys. 

Ilaiyaraaja's daughter Bhavatharini was reportedly battling cancer and was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Sri Lanka. She died in January at 47.

Veteran actor Atul Parchure, widely known for his work in the Marathi industry and Bollywood films like 'Partner' starring Salman Khan and 'All The Best', passed away on October 14 at the age of 57.

Ghazal maestro Pankaj Udhas passed away at 72 in February, after suffering from prolonged illness.

Sharda Sinha, the legendary Indian folk singer, passed away in November. Known for her soulful songs dedicated to Chhatt Maiyan, the Padma Bhushan awardee contributed many iconic songs to Indian folk music. 

Daniel Balaji died of a heart attack at 48 in March. The 'Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu' actor's eyes were donated posthumously.

Renowned Malayalam filmmaker and screenwriter Sangeeth Sivan passed away in May. He was 61. The legendary director reportedly died after undergoing treatment following his health deteriorated at a Mumbai hospital.

Music legend Quincy Jones, who mentored Michael Jackson, passed away at 91 in November.

Farah Khan and Sajid Khan's mother, Menaka Irani, passed away at the age of 79 in July. She was the sister of renowned child actors Daisy Irani and Honey Irani, and had a brief career in acting. 

Maggie Smith, the masterful, scene-stealing actor who won an Oscar for “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” in 1969 and gained new fans in the 21st century as the dowager Countess of Grantham in “Downton Abbey” and Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films, died at 89 in September.

Former One Direction singer Liam Payne, 31, was found dead in October after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires.

Veteran Tamil actor Delhi Ganesh, known for his remarkable versatility in supporting roles, has passed away at the age of 80.He breathed his last on the night of November 9.

Filmmaker Shyam Benegal died at age 90 on December 23 after suffering from a kidney ailment. He was widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers post-1970s. 

Tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain passed away at the age of 73 on December 15. The cause of death was confirmed to be idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung disease.