Bollywood has witnessed its share of unsolved mysteries over the years. While some stars have faded from public memory, others have disappeared under circumstances that remain unexplained. One such case is that of an actor Raj Kiranbest remembered for his performances in ‘Karz’ and ‘Arth’. Despite being missing for more than two decades, his family continues to search for him, hoping to find out what happened.Raj Kiran started his acting career with ‘Kaagaz Ki Nao’ in 1975. Later he appeared in the political satire ‘Kissa Kursi Ka’, a film banned during the Emergency. However, it was Subhash Ghai’s ‘Karz’, starring Rishi Kapoor, that brought him widespread recognition. He further established himself with his acclaimed performance in: Mahesh Bhatt‘Art’ partner Shabana Azmi. Throughout the 1980s, Raj enjoyed a steady run in Bollywood, but his career slowed down in the 1990s, with many lead roles becoming rare.In 1996, Raj found himself in the headlines for reasons unrelated to cinema. Reports say that he was arrested after allegedly trespassing at the Puttaparthi Sai Baba Ashram. He reportedly hired a tractor and a ladder to enter the area at night. He was later released on bail, with his father securing his freedom.A year later, Raj spoke to Cineblitz about the emotional toll of spending more than a month in jail. Recalling the experience, he said, “The trauma I faced when I was thrown in jail, is indescribable. You cannot understand the fear that a person feels, when you are told that you cannot get bail. I spent 34 days in jail and sitting there, I was not sure if I would ever be free. That was a very scary feeling.”During his years in the film industry, Raj married Roopa, and the couple had two daughters, Rishika Mahtani and Mannat Mahtani. As acting opportunities dwindled, Raj reportedly fell into depression, which also affected his personal life. He eventually moved to the United States and remained in contact with his family for some time. However, according to his daughter, all communication stopped, and he has not been seen since 2003.His family maintains that Raj struggled with mental health issues before his disappearance. Filmmaker: Mahesh Bhatt, who directed him in ‘Arth’, once recalled Raj’s visit to Masina Hospital in Mumbai, where he was undergoing psychiatric treatment. Speaking to Rediff, Bhatt said, “It was many years ago when he was in the psychiatric ward of Masina Hospital. He was not the Raj Kiran I was associated with. This was a sad looking, depressed individual and with great difficulty he spoke to me.“At one point, there were reports suggesting that Raj was admitted to a mental health institution in Atlanta. Talking to Subhash K. Jha, Rishi Kapoor, who worked with Raj in ‘Karz’, said that he received this information from Raj’s brother.“I was so relieved when Govind told me that Raj was alive. But he was confined to an institution in Atlanta due to health problems.” However, these claims were later disputed by Raj’s family. In 2011, his daughter Rishika Mahtani clarified that there was no confirmation that her father was receiving treatment in Atlanta. He said the family was unable to trace him and continued to search for him. While it was acknowledged that Raj was dealing with mental health issues before his disappearance, the family never gave up hope of finding him.