‘Reema Lagoo had almost pushed herself into oblivion’

and so was I. But alas, that did not happen. We often think we have time, but the fact is, we don’t. It is, indeed, tragic that she is no more.

Reema began her journey with me in the world of movies with Aashiqui (1990), in which she played the role of a single parent [to Rahul Roy], who lives her life with great dignity even after her husband abandons her. In Gumrah (1993), which was produced by Dharma Productions, she played the role of Sridevi’s mother. And how can I forget the extraordinary part she played as Naseeruddin Shah’s secret beloved in Naajayaz (1995). After a long gap, we resumed our association last year, with Naamkarann, a daily soap, which is aired on Star Plus. Reema had almost pushed herself into oblivion. She was hesitant to resume her relationship with the entertainment world and was unwilling to get herself out of that self-imposed exile. I begged her to play the part of Dayavanti Mehta, which was in fact, the heartbeat of the show. At first, she hesitated because she realised how much doing daily soaps draw out of you.

“I will only accept this challenge, if you promise to oversee the writing and what happens on the sets, on a day to day basis.” When I assured her that I would, there was no looking back. She committed herself to the show completely and shot for 8 to 10 hours every day without ever complaining. Her co-stars told me that she was glowing when she left the set the night before she passed away.

As I showered rose petals at the feet of her mortal remains, I realised how fortunate I had been to meet this wonderful lady, who was far more talented than the roles the industry offered to her.

I am grateful to life that our paths crossed and she touched me so deeply and left an indelible mark in my heart forever.