Celebrity deaths: Unanswered questions, unresolved doubts

The deaths of notable and famous individuals are never considered as ordinary as the passing of a common person. Due to their stardom, the final moments of their lives give rise to various questions, rumours and conspiracy theories.

In some cases, even years of investigation fail to provide a complete resolution, while in others, the official findings do not align with the beliefs of the family or the public. When new information emerges over time, these mysteries often become even more complex. From the late Dhallywood hero Salman Shah to Hollywood legend Marilyn Monroe, the deaths of several such stars remain shrouded in mystery.

Salman Shah: Investigation still ongoing
On September 6, 1996, Bangladesh's popular film hero Salman Shah, whose real name was Shahriar Chowdhury Emon, passed away at the age of 25. He was found hanging at his residence in Eskaton, Dhaka. From the very beginning, his family refused to accept it as suicide and repeatedly raised allegations of murder. The incident has been investigated multiple times over the years. In 1997, the CID concluded it was suicide, and the judicial inquiry also failed to find strong evidence of murder. In 2020, the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) came to the same conclusion in a nearly 600-page report, which the court accepted in 2021.

However, the matter did not end there. In October 2025, a Dhaka court ordered a fresh murder case to be registered and tasked the CID with a reinvestigation. Since then, the case has been in the news. In the case, where 11 people including his ex-wife Samira Haque were named as accused, villain Ashraful Haque Don was arrested and sent to jail, and his bail petition was also rejected. The deadline for submitting the investigation report has been pushed back multiple times and is now set for September 29; the investigating officer has received an extension for the ninth time. In other words, the mystery surrounding Salman Shah's death remains within the legal process and has not reached a final conclusion.

Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood's enduring mystery
Hollywood legend Marilyn Monroe's life ended on August 5, 1962, at the age of just 36, at her home in Los Angeles. She was found dead that day, and a subsequent autopsy revealed an abnormal level of sleeping pills in her body, which was cited as the primary cause of death. The coroner's final verdict was 'probable suicide'. However, the absence of a suicide note at the scene gave rise to numerous questions, and theories of murder gradually began to surface.

Nearly two decades later, in 1982, the Los Angeles County administrative office reviewed the case. But even that re-examination did not uncover any acceptable evidence of murder, leaving the previous verdict unchanged. Thus, while various speculations about Marilyn Monroe's death persist, it remains an unsolved chapter in official investigation records.

George Reeves: The screen Superman's mysterious farewell
Actor George Reeves, famous for playing Superman on television in the 1950s, died on June 16, 1959, at the age of 45, from a gunshot wound in his bedroom. Police initially recorded it as suicide, but several inconsistencies at the scene raised questions over time. The fingerprints on the weapon believed to have been used did not match his; there were also injuries beyond the gunshot wound. The accounts of witnesses also did not match, all of which fueled suspicion.

Subsequent theories of murder spread, and while a second autopsy was conducted, no concrete evidence emerged to overturn the initial suicide ruling. Officially, George Reeves' death remains recorded as suicide, but public curiosity and debate over what actually happened that night persist.

Natalie Wood: The mystery of a night lost at sea
Hollywood actress Natalie Wood died on November 29, 1981, at the age of 43, drowning in the waters off Catalina Island, California. Initially considered an accidental drowning, the case resurfaced in 2011 when the boat's captain, Dennis Davern, came forward with new information, prompting a fresh investigation.

As a result of the reinvestigation, the death certificate was amended in 2012 to read 'drowning and other undetermined factors', meaning the exact circumstances could not be confirmed. Investigators have since reviewed various sources and evidence, but a complete picture of the incident remains unclear. Natalie Wood's final night remains one of Hollywood's most enduring mysteries.

Bruce Lee: A death shrouded in mystery for over three decades
Martial arts legend Bruce Lee died at the age of 32 in Hong Kong on July 20, 1973. The autopsy report revealed cerebral edema in his brain. The official explanation at the time was that the complication was likely due to an extreme sensitivity to a painkiller called Equagesic.

Despite this explanation, numerous speculations and theories about Bruce Lee's untimely death have circulated for over three decades. Even a recent research paper offered a different hypothesis, suggesting that hyponatremia caused by excessive water intake could also lead to cerebral edema. However, this remains a research-based hypothesis and cannot be considered a final or official finding.

Sridevi: A legend silenced in a bathtub
Bollywood legend Sridevi passed away at the age of 54 on February 24, 2018. She was found unconscious in a bathtub at a hotel in Dubai. Official cause of death was listed as accidental drowning, but this explanation immediately raised doubts, with many questioning whether such a death in shallow water was plausible.

Suspicion then fell on her husband Boney Kapoor, who was the only other person present in the room at the time. Many have found it difficult to accept her sudden death during what was supposed to be a family celebration, and Sridevi's sudden demise remains an unresolved question for her fans and admirers.

Divya Bharti: A bright star extinguished at just 19
Bollywood actress Divya Bharti died on April 5, 1993, at the age of just 19, after falling from the fifth-floor balcony of her building in Mumbai. Initially considered a possible suicide, many believed it was foul play, suspecting her jealous husband. Given her immense popularity from her debut at 16, the suicide theory seemed implausible to many.

Mumbai police ultimately failed to find sufficient evidence, and the case was closed in 1998. Those who see a conspiracy point to her husband, Sajid Nadiadwala. Despite the conclusion of the investigation, the true mystery behind Divya Bharti's untimely death remains largely unknown.

Sushant Singh Rajput: A heart-wrenching chapter for Bollywood
Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput's sudden death shocked the Indian film industry and millions of fans. On June 14, 2020, his body was found hanging in his flat in Bandra, Mumbai. Initially ruled a suicide by Mumbai Police, the case was later handed over to India's central investigation agency CBI due to pressure from the family and public opinion. The ED and NCB were also brought in to investigate possible money laundering and drug links. The case sparked widespread debate on nepotism, mental health and the complex politics within the industry.

After nearly four and a half years, the CBI submitted its final report in March 2025, supporting the suicide theory. The report stated that no evidence was found to suggest Sushant was abetted to commit suicide, thereby dismissing allegations against his then-girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty and her family. With no other leads, the case was formally closed. However, questions and debates linger among many fans and observers.

Michael Jackson: Lingering doubts over the King of Pop's death
The official cause of death of music legend and King of Pop Michael Jackson was determined to be acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication. The investigation revealed that his personal physician, Dr Conrad Murray, had administered the drugs. However, this explanation did not end the mystery. Many still claim it was not a simple accident but the result of a well-planned conspiracy.

Despite the medical explanations and court verdicts, no logical and satisfactory resolution to the mystery of Michael Jackson's death has been found. It is believed that the questions and curiosity among his fans will persist in the future.

Jiah Khan: The quiet end to a promising star
Promising actress Jiah Khan's death also remains shrouded in mystery. She committed suicide in her Juhu flat in Mumbai in June 2013. She was pregnant and unmarried at the time, raising numerous questions. The search for why she took such a drastic step at what could have been the happiest moment of her life led to suspicion falling on her then-boyfriend Suraj Pancholi. Jiah's mother, Rabeya Khatun, claimed her daughter was driven to suicide by circumstances. A suicide note was also recovered from the scene.

After a long legal battle, Suraj Pancholi was acquitted of the case in 2023. However, Rabeya Khatun has consistently maintained that her daughter was murdered, and has filed an appeal in the Mumbai High Court. Therefore, despite the court's verdict, doubts about the true cause of Jiah Khan's death persist.

Madhubala: A lonely farewell behind the silver screen's beauty
The untimely death of one of Bollywood's most beautiful and legendary actresses, Madhubala, remains a deep tragedy and mystery in cinema history. She passed away on February 23, 1969, at the age of just 36. The medical cause was a congenital heart defect (ventricular septal defect), which was incurable at the time. However, many believe that her physical ailment was not the sole cause of death; the intense loneliness, mental anguish and depression of her final years also played a part.

Her failed romance with actor Dilip Kumar and later marital complications with Kishore Kumar reportedly left Madhubala deeply depressed. For the last nine years of her life, she was largely bedridden, slowly withdrawing from the film world and those close to her. The lonely, neglected and painful end of the actress who once brightened the glamorous world of cinema raises many questions for her fans and has cemented her memory as Bollywood's 'tragic beauty'.

What becomes clear from these incidents is that the presence of mystery or questions surrounding a death does not necessarily mean it was murder. Rather, when new information emerges over time, old conclusions can face fresh scrutiny, as is happening in Salman Shah's case. Therefore, it is crucial to distinguish between popular stories, rumours and imagined theories surrounding celebrity deaths and the evidence-proven facts of actual investigations. Ultimately, the only path to uncovering the truth is through reliable evidence, forensic analysis and proper investigation.

Sources: The Times, BBC, The Wall Street Journal, Anandabazar, NDTV