Bollywood loses its favourite Ma

Before daybreak yesterday, many in Bollywood experienced heartbreak, as news came that veteran actor Reema Lagoo, who was a good mum on screen and a very affectionate person in life, was no more. She died of a cardiac arrest at 3.15 am, at the age of 59. The end came just two hours after she was taken to hospital for chest pain.

The industry reacted with expressions of grief and anecdotes of their time with Reema, who has played on-screen mother to actors such as Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Madhuri Dixit and Sridevi.

“Just heard the shocking and unbelievable news about Reema Lagoo’s passing... such a fine talent and gone so young! Very SAD!!” tweeted Amitabh Bachchan.

Actor Sachin Pilgaonkar, who knew Reema since childhood, said, “It’s not only a loss of the industry; she was a childhood friend for me. There are so many memories.”

Reema was “very warm and welcoming”, said actor Mohnish Behl, who had also played her son. “I’d talk to her. We’d fool around with her. We never felt uncomfortable with her. [She was] a very gracious and stunningly goodlooking person,” he added.

Farida Jalal, another wellknown on-screen mother, said, “She was my contemporary and a very sweet lady. We’ve worked together in so many films. She always had a smile on her face.”

To Nikhil Advani, who directed Reema in Kal Ho Na Ho, she “redefined the role of the mother, making it cool, modern and hip”.

She reminded me so much of my mother. It didn’t take me long to get close to her. She was one person who was always smiling BHAGYASHREE, ACTOR I worked with her as a child in my first film. She had a goody-goody mother image. [But] she wanted to do comedy SACHIN PILGAONKAR, ACTOR