MUMBAI: Little did the world know that 20 February, 2013 was to be Bollywood actress Jiah Khan’s last birthday. The young actress was only 25.

Before she committed suicide on Monday night, her life was the stuff of fairytales. A dream debut opposite the Shehenshah of Indian cinema himself: Amitabh Bachchan, in the controversial ‘Nishabd’, subsequent films with Aamir Khan (‘Ghajini’) and Akshay Kumar (‘Housefull’), and a promising future.

Alas, it was all taken away from her before she could even revel in it. The mounting pressures and frustrations of a stagnant career, and troubles in her personal life became all too much for the starlet to handle. As her world came crashing down, she decided to take a drastic step by ending her life.

A photographer present at her last birthday party has said, “These pics were taken on the last birthday of Jiah at her Juhu home. I was also present at her home but she refused to pose as she was worried that fashion blogs would comment on her looks although she looked quite hot but my convincing did not work. I was introduced to her few years back to her by industrialist Kapil Mehra as a young singer and not an actress. As far as I know her album never came out but her album was ready.”

Jiah looked bright and happy, surrounded by friends and family. In an aqua blue dress, the actress’ dreams were writ large in her starry eyes. A birthday cake, bearing her stunning visage was specially commissioned for the momentous occasion.

But sadly this will be the last time that she would cut a birthday cake, the last time she would celebrate with near and dear ones, the last frontier she would attain on the age barrier. In place of the celebration, 20 February next year onwards shall be the day the world lost yet another bright star to the trials and tribulations of a tough-as-nails industry.

Rest in peace, Jiah Khan. Your brightness and light shall be missed.