Bharat Dev Varma, actor Moon Moon Sen’s husband and father of actors Raima Sen and Riya Sen Dev, died on November 19 at his Kolkata residence. Opening up about her loss for the first time, Riya shared a heartfelt post on Instagram.

She posted a throwback picture of them together and wrote, “When a dad leaves us, his impact remains in our hearts and memories. The lessons he taught and the love he shared continue to guide us. We cherish the moments we had and draw strength from them, knowing he’s still a part of who we are. His legacy lives on in our actions and the values he instilled in us (sic).”

The actor said that she finds happiness in the fact that she was with her dad in her good and bad times, and loved him the most. “Even when I was unhappy, I smiled for him and dedicated tons of quality time to him. I have no regrets now that he’s gone (sic).”

Raving about how her late father, who was a descendant of the royal family of Tripura, led his life, Riya wrote, “He truly lived life king-size. Apart from family and friends who came to visit us to offer condolences, what touched me the most was how his staff from many years ago came one by one. He was the world’s kindest, most generous, fun-loving, and pleasant dad.”

Actresses Raima and Riya Sen’s father, Bharat Dev Verma, 82, passed away in his sleep on November 19 at his Kolkata residence. Raima and her mother, actress Moon Moon Sen, who were in Delhi to attend a polo match, rushed back to Kolkata. Raima, who is heartbroken and shocked by his sudden demise, said, “Post the pandemic, my father had minor health issues, but there was nothing to worry about. My mother would always be around him, but for this one trip, she made an exception.”

Recalling how her father was her hero, Raima said, “In my recent interview with Bombay Times, I had shared how I always wanted to marry a guy like my dad. He was my role model. My father always used to keep cuttings of my articles whenever they appeared in newspapers, but this one in particular, he folded and kept it in his wallet because he was very touched by my words. He used to manage everything at home, including our finances and careers. He was the one who motivated my mom and us to become actors and believed that we should follow our dreams. He has written a small diary, a manual for us to follow when he is gone. I plan to read it now.”

So, while we were out of town shooting, he used to manage everything at home. It was he who asked my mom to work after we were born. He was a man who believed that we should follow our dreams." She added, "My father has never shouted at us and he used to instruct my mom to never shout at anyone, even the domestic help at home. Now, that he is gone my mother recalls it and tells us how she will never force us to do things and let us lead our lives like we want."

She added, “My father lived his life well. He belonged to a royal family (he was a descendant of the erstwhile royal family of Tripura). This a difficult time for us… one can never heal from a parent’s loss. I will miss him.” Bharat Dev Varma was the descendant of the erstwhile royal family of Tripura and his mother Ila Devi was the princess of Cooch Behar and the elder sister of Maharani of Jaipur, Gayatri Devi. Varma's grandmother Indira was the only daughter of Sayaji Rao Gaikwad III, Maharaja of Vadodara.