While shooting for Gurinder Chadha's Viceroy's House, Huma Qureshi had not known that it was her first and last opportunity to work with Om Puri. The actor passed away on January 6 this year, leaving the industry and his family bereaved. Huma is among the privileged few, who shared screen space with the National Award-winner in one of his last projects.

She says, “Gurinder was upset when she learnt about Om sir's demise. Who knew something like this would happen? A few months ago, we were all shooting and spending so much time together. He became a father figure for me while playing my dad on screen. I'd even begun to address him as Abba on and off the set.“

Huma plays Om's daughter in the period drama set in the summer of 1947, when India was partitioned by the last British Viceroy, Lord Mountbatten. Om had completed the shoot and even dubbed his portions for the international project.

“While there is a love story between Mountbatten's Hindu servant and Muslim translator, the latter played by me, there's also a beautiful father-daughter story. I'll miss Abba. He touched my life. I learnt by observing him,“ reminisces Huma, adding, “Last year on Eid, he came visiting us and shared a meal with my parents. It was such a delight to have him over. I remember, once he also bought me some knick-knacks and toy figurines from a store in Jodhpur for the lack of something better. He said, 'Tum meri beti jaisi ho. Yeh tumhare liye hai.' Who does that? It's these fatherly gestures that'll stay with me forever.“