Actress Falaq Naaz was among the first celebrities to react to Aashiqui actor Rahul Roy’s recently released music video, which went viral online and was heavily trolled for its execution. Naaz's humorous take on the video snowballed into larger conversation on social media.

Soon after, Roy shared a clarification post on social media, explaining that he continues to take up such work because he has “bills to pay.” However, Naaz says his explanation has not changed her opinion about the content.

“I will call cringe content, cringe only. I cannot laud it, irrespective of whoever is making it. It is my way of saying it's not good content don't do it. I don't regret posting it,” she tells Mumbai Mirror.

After Roy’s clarification, Naaz even made another video requesting producers to consider him for projects. Explaining the reason behind it, she says, “I thought of making another video and try to help him through my platform. But soon he made another post saying, don't pity him, he isn't abandoned. So, I don't know what do I say? He is contradicting himself. Maybe he is confused.”

The actress further states that online criticism and trolling do not affect her decisions. “I did what I felt right. No matter what people think. People are waiting to troll you. I am not stopping for the trolls. Let them talk. Let them troll,” she says.

Following the online backlash, Naaz also restricted comments on her Instagram posts. “Nobody has the right to comment ill about me. Why should I read what the trolls have to say?” she states.

When asked if she reached out to Rahul Roy personally after the controversy, Naaz says she chose not to engage further. “I don't want to give him importance. I don't have any communication with him. I saw his post. I saw the cringe content. I said that the content is cringe. That's it. I think I may be the villain in his life?” she clarifies.

On the work front, the former Bigg Boss contestant is currently busy shooting for a daily soap and says she is enjoying being back on set despite the hectic schedules.

“Getting back to work is something I am really enjoying. Shooting in this weather though is very hectic. And funnily when it is very hot that's when we get our outdoor schedules. So, we are dead tired, but this is the most fun part of an actor's life. When you work on Tv you do have telecast issues but it's fun when you have great team. It's fun shooting for new shows,” she concludes.

Rahul Roy isn’t having the narrative written for him. After a wave of viral reels and chatter questioning his finances, the Aashiqui (1990) star took to Instagram to set the record straight, pushing back against claims that he’s struggling or has been left on his own.

“I’m safe and I’m well taken care by my sister and brother-in-law. I live at my sister’s place. We have a lovely house in Madh… I’m deeply loved by her, which makes me the luckiest brother in the world,” he wrote.

“I have clothes, I have shoes, I have food, I have car, I’m not a abandoned person on road… the way fake videos are coming out is not true,” Roy added that his lifestyle choices – whether it’s keeping things simple or skipping a bodyguard – are his own.

“I always think work is work… I waited for good work enough for long but it doesn’t come, I cannot sit and waste myself. I did those reels with simplicity not with clever thoughts (sic),” he said.

India and China’s military clash that took place at Galwan Valley in June 2020 has caught the attention of many filmmakers. While Salman Khan is headlining Apoorva Lakhia’s Battle Of Galwan, actor Rahul Roy’s film LAC Battle Of Galwan is streaming on YouTube. Now, mid-day has learnt that producer and businessman Himalay Dassani — husband of Maine Pyar Kiya (1989) actor Bhagyashree — is offering a retelling with Vir Chakra awardee Sepoy Gurtej Singh’s story at the centre. Tentatively titled The Lion of Galwan, the movie will see Himalay’s son Abhimanyu Dassani, who featured in Meenakshi Sundareshwar (2021), step into the martyr’s role. 

“It’s the life story of Sepoy Gurtej Singh. I was intrigued, so I traced his family down to his village, Mansa, in Punjab, and acquired Gurtej’s biopic rights from his parents,” begins Himalay, elaborating, “The story will be divided into three parts — Gurtej’s early days, the Galwan skirmish, and the stance that the Indian government took against the Chinese incursions.”

On the night of June 15, 2020, Singh’s unit was deployed in eastern Ladakh close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC), when rising tensions between the Indian and Chinese armies led to a violent clash that was fought using sticks and clubs. Colonel Bikkumalla Santosh Babu, commanding officer of 16 Bihar regiment, Singh, and 18 other soldiers were martyred. Himalay reveals that research on the project is underway.

“We have two teams in Chandigarh and Delhi doing research with the cooperation of the various ministries, government, and the Indian Army. We will also cover how the foreign and defence ministries cooperated on that night, how our brave boys battled it out bare-handed in that icy night. The shoot will begin in Ladakh early next year.” He is currently in talks with three directors, of whom one will be finalized soon.

Mention that Khan’s Battle Of Galwan focuses on the same episode, and Himalay is unperturbed. He reasons, “It’s like making a movie on the Indo-Pak war. There are so many angles and stories to each battle. It will be great to see Salman essay Colonel Santosh Babu. We cannot shoot before early 2026 because it will be freezing during the winters. That will also give us time to work more on our film.”

Last week, as Salman Khan unveiled the teaser of his next, Battle Of Galwan, to cheers from his fans, another movie on the same subject quietly released on YouTube. Writer and director Nitin Kumar Gupta’s LAC Battle of Galwan, starring Rahul Roy, is a dramatized account inspired by the military confrontation that took place between India and China in June 2020, in Ladakh. While Gupta originally wanted the film to hit the screens on June 15, 2023, it has taken the project more than two years since to see the light of day.      

“I wanted the martyrs’ families to see the film in theatres,” says the director. But that was not to be. The movie, shot in November 2020, was submitted to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in June 2022. Gupta says that in August, the CBFC screened the 83-minute single-shot film for the Additional Directorate General of Public Information committee of the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces personnel in New Delhi. It was followed by a screening for the board in the same month. In September 2022, the CBFC handed out many changes in the war drama."

Gupta recounts, “They asked me to remove LAC from the title, delete references to the actual location, and reduce violence by 33 per cent — essentially asking us to dilute the reality of hand-to-hand combat our soldiers faced. The most painful was when they asked us to remove the photos of the 20 real-life martyrs from the end credits. These photos were already in public domain, with their names released by the government.”

He adds that the makers had pre-emptively taken many steps before LAC Battle of Galwan rolled. “We had changed the martyrs’ names to protect the families’ privacy; we didn’t mention China directly to avoid diplomatic issues, and based our story on verified sources.”

The team submitted the modified version in September 2022. Gupta rues, “There has been no official reply from the CBFC since. For three years, I knocked on every door. The film’s digital rights [rest with] Vikram Jadhav, who is an American citizen. It was his decision to release it on YouTube on July 5.”

mid-day reached out to CBFC chairperson Prasoon Joshi, who didn’t respond till press time.

Rahul Roy, whose character in the film is inspired by Colonel Bikkumalla Santosh Babu, suffered a brain stroke during the shoot in November 2020. He was initially admitted to a military hospital in Kargil, before being airlifted to Srinagar and subsequently to Nanavati Hospital in Mumbai.

Part autobiographical, starring brand news faces Rahul Roy and Anu Agarwal, director Mahesh Bhatt’s Aashiqui became a smash hit in 1990. Its music topped the charts for years and continues to resonate with listeners. The romantic musical saw a sequel headlined by Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor and directed by Mohit Suri in 2013. A third successor, Aashiqui 3, was announced in September last year by the same collaborators (T-Series and Vishesh films) with Kartik Aaryan in the lead and to be helmed by Anurag Basu.

However, a row over the ownership and creative rights of the franchise seems to have ensued, given Vishesh Films’ recent public notice followed by Mukesh Bhatt’s statement (he heads the banner, after Mahesh and he parted ways). Taking to their official Instagram handle, Vishesh Films issued a notice on September 25.

Excerpts from the statement said, “Vishesh Films is the producer and joint rightful owner of the intellectual property rights associated with the Aashiqui franchise. Any communication made without our involvement is unauthorized and fraudulent.”

Mahesh Bhatt, who made the iconic 1990 original, spoke to Bombay Times exclusively, shedding light on the issue.

He said, “In this time and age when the moral compass of the world has shattered, and it’s become a moral desert, it’s important that elders behave like elders. Right isn’t always legal, and 50 per cent rights are in any case with T-Series. But I choose to stand for what’s morally right. In the case of Aashiqui, that moral legacy belongs to Gulshan Kumar and, in his absence, to Bhushan Kumar. Gulshan’s vision, support, and timeless music are at the heart of Aashiqui’s enduring impact.”

Mahesh Bhatt recounted, “I remember that I was shooting at Horizon Hotel in Juhu, and a man who was standing at the corner of my set introduced himself as a music baron, who had just moved to Mumbai from Delhi. He said, ‘Main Shivji ka bhakt hu. Unhonay mujhe sapne mein kaha ke main aapke paas aau. Aapse film banwau. Aapka naam Mahesh hai na?’ I said yes. He said, ‘Music ka bank hai mere paas. Anurada ji (Paudwal) humare company ke saath hai. Aapko jo gaane pasand hai aap le lijiye, ya naye banwalijie. Ek acchisi musical bana dijiye. Main aapko promise karta hu, Hindustan kay konay konay mein main yeh gaane le jayunga. Har ghar mein bajwaunga. Badle mein, aap 50 per cent le lijiye.’ The simplicity and innocence with which he spoke was the beginning of Aashiqui. I distinctly remember I was shooting Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin (1991) in Madhumalai forest (Tamil Nadu) with Aamir Khan and Pooja (Bhatt). In that forest, I heard one of the songs from Aashiqui playing. I turned to Pooja and said, ‘That man promised me that he will take the music across India."

“When we decided to have a resurgence of the Aashiqui franchise, Bhushan was aware that he was up against a formidable brand called Aashiqui (1990) and its music, but he wanted to keep his father’s legacy alive. I personally feel that since I was the person whom Gulshan Kumar came to, I must speak up. They (T-Series) own the 50 per cent rights anyway, and the moral right of a product belongs to the person who gave birth to it. Let the legal experts sit down and discuss the details, I am talking about the moral compass, and I want to set the record straight. I have nothing to gain from this,” Bhatt says.

He further elaborates, “I am known as an autobiographical filmmaker for my films like Arth (1982) or Zakhm (1998), but the romance you see in Aashiqui (1990) between Rahul Roy and Anu Agarwal is based on my first love with Lorraine Bright (Pooja Bhatt’s mother). I was 16 and she was 14 and studying in Bombay Scottish. The classroom scenes, her being thrown out and becoming my responsibility… my personal life was in Aashiqui. That film had the truth of my life and the musical vision of Gulshan.”

The ownership debate doesn’t interest me because I have never been a man of business. I have consciously stayed away from it. I don’t have the stomach to sit down and argue the legal aspects. That’s for the legal experts to sort out. We are talking about the moral background. We come from a time when everything wasn’t spelt out. If you gave someone your word, you stood by it. Those values need to be resurrected even more today as everyone looks at the other with distrust.”

So what if Rahul Roy has barely recuperated after a brain stroke and begun to speak properly? The happiness in him is evident when you talk to him about his film Agra, which is set to have a world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.

“It was very good news. Mujhe bahut pehle se yeh karna tha — something for myself. Now it has all fallen into place. I have done 60 films but this is the most fantastic one,” he exclaims.

Roy feels that having made his debut with the widely loved romantic musical Aashiqui (1990) always led to him being boxed as fit for a specific kind of character. “[Filmmakers] didn’t explore my talent. I don’t think that was done. Hopefully, now it will be. Whatever is being offered to me at this moment is good. I just had a brain stroke, the situation was very bad. But slowly, I am back to working now. I have been telling everyone that I am back to the grind,” says the Junoon and Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayee (both 1992) actor.

The filming of Agra, directed by Kanu Behl, took three years to complete. “I’ve been shooting for it very slowly, because of my recovery and also the pandemic. It was very difficult to shoot during those times. I can’t talk much about my role, but you would have never seen me in such a character before,” he says.

Will he be travelling to Cannes for the premiere, if his health permits? “Of course, yes!” he ends.

Over two years since he suffered a brain stroke while shooting for a film in Kargil, Rahul Roy is ready to bounce back. His next, Walk, won the Best Feature Film Award at the Jammu Film Festival on April 9, with the actor being felicitated for his performance. Shooting for the human drama across Rajasthan and Maharashtra was not easy for him, after his health setback.

But the actor says that as soon as he read the script of the Nitin Kumar Gupta-directed venture, which chronicles the hard journey of the migrant workers during the pandemic-induced lockdown, he was drawn to it.

“My character Roshan is forced to carry his deceased friend’s son through 1,000 miles of lockdown territory. I was excited to portray the emotional nuances of his journey, and the transformation he goes through,” shares the Aashiqui star.

It has been a long road to recovery for the actor since his brain stroke in November 2020 while shooting for Gupta’s LAC — Live The Battle in Kargil. Roy returned to face the camera a year later for Walk.

“It was challenging to shoot for Walk after my health setback. But the unwavering support of the team, including the director, helped me overcome the challenges. My recovery journey was a combination of medical treatment, speech therapy, and immense support from my loved ones. I took the time to prioritize my physical and mental well-being, and followed a disciplined routine of exercise, diet, and meditation,” he states. Next, Roy has a sequel to one of his “big films” lined up.

Gupta considers himself lucky to have collaborated with Roy on two films. Praising his movie’s leading man, the director says, “He never lost sight of his passion for acting [through the hard times]. At the Jammu Film Festival, seeing Rahul walk up on stage, confidently interact with journalists, and speak after two years was a testament to his determination and hard work.”

The year was 1990 and the blockbuster was Aashiqui and lead actor Rahul Roy became a household name. But he failed to recreate that same magic after that one film, which ultimately led him to take a hiatus from Bollywood. “The people who were coming to me with roles at that time were morons because of the way they wanted to do everything. They were like ‘If you don’t do it, we will go to someone else’,” confesses Roy, who was in news last year, after he suffered a brain stroke while he was shooting for a web show in Kargil.

He continues, “And there was a phase in my career, where I was doing anything and everything. Soon, I realised that it is better to let go of the work, and let them (makers) work jiske saath unko karna hai. I will do what I want to do (not with any pressure), and I told them to move on. Also, I didn’t want to just take a project, and then later on crib about it yeh hona tha but woh ho gaya.”

After the initial success, Roy was seen in Junoon (1992), Dilwale Kabhi Na Hare (1992) and Gumrah (1993). He also won the first season of reality show, Bigg Boss, in 2007. Looking back at his career, the 53-year-old shares, “I won’t say that I was random in the way that I did my work. But I feel that there were some projects, which I shouldn’t have done.”

Roy moved to Australia with his now-estranged wife, Rajlaxmi Khanvilkar during his sabbatical in the early 2000s. It was only in 2005 when he started to reappear through special appearances. He says, “Every aspect of my journey has been good. I never had to beg for work in front of anyone, and that remains true even today.”

At the moment, Roy is staying in Mumbai with his daughter, sister and brother-in-law. And he credits them for putting him back on the road to a healthy life after his brain stroke.

Roy shares, “I don’t want to be in a race or any rush. Ab mere hisab se kaam hona chahiye, since I am a brain stroke patient. And this is what I have been telling to people who are approaching me for work. It is difficult to make them understand, but it is okay. People can’t just expect me to bounce back, so I will do work only at my own pace.”

Roy, who is planning to write a book on his life, in the end, says, “Life has got a new meaning. Aur bhi bahut cheezein karni hai mujhe.”

Rahul Roy, who suffered a brain stroke last year, has been recuperating well at home. On his birthday yesterday, he shared a video on social media where he was seen going for a walk and addressing fans. Talking about his health, the original Aashiqui actor said, “I am doing well. It will take two to three months more for me to recover fully and then hopefully, I will be able to talk properly and get back to work.” Rahul, who faces difficulty while talking post the stroke, is undergoing speech therapy. The actor, who can’t talk for too long, is often assisted by his brother-in-law Romeer Sen to converse.

The latter revealed how Rahul spent his birthday yesterday with close friends. “Rahul got a lot of calls and answered each one. He could speak for only a few seconds and would hand over the phone to me. He is feeling blessed after receiving so much love. He is hoping to get well soon, not just physically, but wants to speak clearly and then get back to work.”

Romeer added that the actor was exercising regularly to boost his fitness levels. “Rahul begins the day with yoga and then does shoulder and breathing exercises. He walks five kilometres daily and goes up and down 12 flights of stairs to build stamina. His sister, Priyanka, also ensures that Rahul follows a healthy diet. Rahul turned 55 and at that age, we are happy that he is recuperating so well. He is also active on social media and shares all his posts on his own.”

Rahul Roy who was in Kargil for the shoot of one of his upcoming films, LAC, suffered a stroke. He was airlifted to Srinagar and from there to Mumbai, where he was admitted to the Nanavati Hospital for treatment. His family informs that now he has been shifted from Nanavati to another hospital.

“Rahul is not home yet, he has been shifted to the Wockhardt Hospital, of which he is the brand face. It’s a longer journey to recovery,” informs Rahul’s brother-in-law Romeer Sen, adding, “His physiotherapy and speech therapy are going on there with his neuro physicians supervising his treatment.”

Talking about the stroke, Romeer blames it on “sheer negligence”. “Rahul Roy did not stay back in Kargil after his shoot to enjoy the cold. All this will be cleared by him soon as he is on the road to recovery. All facts and figures will be furnished by his siblings, Priyanka and Rohit, with proof. Right now, we just want him to get well soon,” he states.

Talking about his future course of treatment, Romeer confirms that the doctors had suggested a stent on day one itself to prevent future attacks but says nothing is confirmed yet. “We are consulting the doctors even as he is recovering with aggressive medical management.”

His brother-in-law goes on to say that Rahul is not dependent on anyone for work. “He has been a sensation for 30 years and has not agreed to do any film currently,” he concludes.

On November 26, Rahul Roy was in Kargil enjoying the cold after wrapping up his work in Nitin Kumar Gupta’s (right) directorial LAC when he suffered a mini stroke which affected his speech. He was air dashed from Kargil to Srinagar and on to Mumbai, where he was admitted to the Nanavati Hospital for treatment. On Monday, the actor shared a video from the hospital, standing beside his sister Pia (above) and her husband, assuring fans that he was back on his feet and recovering well. The next morning, he was discharged.

Nitin shares that when he met Rahul on Monday, he hugged him and spoke a little. “But I was the one who did most of the talking. He was joking about resuming shoot. The doctors were ready to release him on Monday, but paperwork took time. His sister took him home the following day,” the director informs, adding that he is delighted to see his friend walking, eating and doing everything. “He just has trouble speaking certain words, his speech therapy will go on for a while. The therapist will come home every day to work with him.”

The director had earlier (December 4) informed Mirror that Rahul will require a stent to prevent future attacks, but it is not an immediate priority. “We wanted to get that done sooner, but Rohit, Rahul’s twin brother, wants to give him some more time to recuperate. But the surgery will happen,” he asserts.

Nitin and Rahul’s next film, Sayonee, will release in theatres on December 18. The trailer was launched on Tuesday and one saw Rahul humming a song from his debut film, Aashiqui. “This will be his first release after the stroke and while other producers might be hesitant to work with him for a while, I plan to launch my next with him in February. It’s a murder mystery titled Stroke. Coincidentally, the film’s protagonist, played by Rahul, witnesses a murder but is unable to name the murderer because he has suffered a stroke. We are mixing reality with fiction,” he shares, adding that it will give him confidence to do more work.

Director Nitin Kumar Gupta and Rahul Roy on the sets of LAC in Kargil

On November 26, actor Rahul Roy suffered a mini stroke during the shoot of his next, LAC, resulting in some speech defect. He was airlifted from Kargil, brought to Mumbai and admitted to the Nanavati hospital. Speaking to Mirror (November 30) his director-friend who is also a doctor, Nitin Kumar Gupta, had assured that the actor was recovering and would be discharged in a couple of days.

Since then, rumours have been abuzz that the actor is unconscious and in need of monetary help to cover his expenses and continue with the treatment. Nitin, who is still in Kargil, refutes this saying, “I’ve been in constant touch with his medical staff and his twin Rohit. The latter, who lives in Canada, told me on Thursday morning that Rahul’s physiotherapy and speech therapy is going well. Rohit spoke to Rahul for half a minute and informed that Rahul is conscious and speaking a few sentences. Thanks to everyone’s prayers, he is doing better every day.”

On the financial aspect, Nitin shared that he is currently taking care of the medical expenses—and the bills could run into lakhs—as Rahul cannot operate his account. “I’ve had discussions with his doctors who have said a stent may be required in the middle cerebral artery to prevent cerebrovascular events in the future. It’s a preventive measure and may prove expensive. Once I return, I will speak with the doctors again regarding costs. I can handle the expenses for now, but if anyone wants to help in any way it will just make it easier for me to help him. I am sure once Rahul recovers, they will be compensated,” he asserts.

Nitin informs that the blockage in Rahul’s middle cerebral artery was an old one and resulted in the mini stroke on November 26. “The stent can prevent attacks later but we will wait for him to be stable before going ahead with the procedure. The surgery might happen after a few weeks. Right now, the primary concern is for Rahul to get back on his feet. The doctors are ready to discharge him, but I have asked them to keep him under observation for a week more. I land in Mumbai on Saturday and only after I am satisfied with his progress, will we take him home,” he concludes.

Mumbai: Actor Rahul Roy, known for starring in the 1990 blockbuster ‘Aashiqui’, suffered a stroke and is recuperating at Nanavati Hospital in Vile Parle. The 52-year-old actor, who was recently shooting in Kargil, was admitted to the intensive care unit of the hospital on Friday, according to the insider.

“He was hospitalised two days ago after he arrived from Kargil,” a family source told PTI. He was airlifted and brought to the city. Doctors said that his condition was improving, although the hospital declined to comment on his health condition.

Roy made his Bollywood debut at the age of 22 in the Mahesh Bhatt-directed 'Aashiqui'. He also won the first season of the popular TV reality show ‘Bigg Boss’ in 2006.

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In what can only be termed an irony, Bollywood lost one of its most-loved screen mothers, just a few days after Mother's Day. Reema Lagoo succumbed to a cardiac arrest at a suburban hospital in Mumbai in the early hours of Thursday, leaving the industry numb with grief.

Reema was a prolific actress, who almost became synonymous with mom roles in the '90s and 2000s. On the big screen, she portrayed the mom '90s kids could easily identify with. She epitomised the mother who was not a weeping prop or a dependant on her sons, but a friend and a confidante who held her own ground. She played mum to the biggest stars, like Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Kajol and Ajay Devgn in films such as Hum Aapke Hain Koun! (HAHK), Maine Pyaar Kiya, Hum Saath-Saath Hain, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Dilwale (1994) and Yes Boss, with aplomb.

Renuka Shahane, who played Reema's daughter in Sooraj Barjatya's family drama HAHK, sighs, “Reema tai was more like an elder sister; she was nine years elder to me. She was so beautiful. I was enamoured by her because she was a senior theatre actress whose work I had loved.“

Renuka adds, “She was a powerful performer. After playing her daughter, I also played her bahu in a Marathi film. When we worked together, we shared our makeup rooms and food. She was so protective of me. We hadn't met in a while but that never mattered. I regularly watched Naamkarann and thought she was brilliant. Despite being a great actress, she was, in a way, typecast in our films. However, she managed to turn the stereotypical formula of the screen mother on its head. And yet, she didn't have any air about being a brilliant artiste. She also had a great sense of humour and someone who always gave sound advice.“

One of her most critically acclaimed roles was in Vaastav, where she played Sanjay Dutt's mother, who shoots her son to rid him of his pain. It wasn't for nothing that the role earned her a Filmfare Award. Mohnish Bahl, who played her other son in Vaastav, recalls her as the woman who, despite playing a mother, was uber cool off camera and commanded respect of seniors and juniors on the floor. “There was no protocol to reach out to her. Reemaji played mother to me, Sanjay, Salman, Ajay, Aamir though there barely was an age gap of 10 years. She was someone you automatically wanted to greet. She was a warm person and a friend when not a mom on screen. I remember, we had a house in Versova in a building opposite hers. Very often, I'd find my wife waving out to her from our house in the morning. And she'd reciprocate. She was the neighbour anyone would love,“ says Mohnish.

Born Nayan Bhadbhade in 1958, Reema was the daughter of Marathi stage actress Mandakini Bhadbhade. She took up acting while studying in Pune. In 1988, she found prominence in Bollywood with Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (QSQT), where she played Juhi Chawla's mother. “I met Reema a few weeks ago at an award function. I can't believe she's no more. She was one of the most beautiful people I knew... light eyes and lovely features. After QSQT, we shared screen space in Najayaz, Pratibandh and Deewana Mastana too, but my most vivid memories are of working with her in Yes Boss. She played Shah Rukh's mother. I loved the way she acted in Sooraj Barjatya's films too,“ says Juhi. Bhagyashree, who played Salman's love interest in Barjatya's Maine Pyaar Kiya, recalls, “Reemaji had a broad smile and twinkling eyes. She had peaches-and-cream complexion and looked like my own mother. She was a happy soul and I loved talking to her. She was the mother everyone wished for.“

Unlike the Bollywood maa of the 1970s and 80s, personified by Nirupa Roy, Reema played characters more realistic. She merged the concepts of a sanskaari woman and the woman of substance so seamlessly, that her portrayals appealed to both mothers and children. Rahul Roy, who played Reema's son twice, including his debut Aashiqui, sums up saying, “Bhatt saab (Mahesh Bhatt) made sure he cast someone motherly to play my mom on screen. I was a newcomer and he wanted to comfort me. And what a lovely choice he made! We played mother and son in two films. I sensed that Reemaji almost became a mother to her co-stars while enacting the part. Whenever she touched me, I felt my mother was around. She played fantastic mother roles but as her reel son, I'm partial to her part in my debut. She had taken me under her wings. Reemaji never 'acted' while playing a mother and that made someone like me so comfortable on screen. I'll miss her warmth dearly.“

Reema is survived by daughter Mrunmayee, born from her marriage to actor Vivek Lagoo. Her last rites were conducted at Oshiwara at 2 pm yesterday.

AND ON THE SMALL SCREEN
No one can forget Reema Lagoo's portrayal of a funny, yet charming, mother-in-law in Tu Tu Main Main, through which she brought alive the love-hate relationship between Indian women and their mothers-in-law! Devaki Verma, her character in the show, was the saas Indian girls grew up with in mind.

Recalling her experience of working with Reema, Supriya Pilgaokar, who played her daughter-in-law in the show, says, “Reema tai was a woman of substance. I was lucky to share screen space with her. She was passionate and could not be missed even in a hundred strong crowd. She was magnetic, sensitive and brave. The way she has gone is probably the way she would have liked to exit the scene.Imagine, she was working till a day before...Knowing her capabilities, I just wish she had written and directed. She would have been brilliant.“

Reema's turn as the smart homemaker Koki in Shriman Shrimati, a popular sit-com of the 1990s, was also a rib-tickler. Reema's last assignment was Naamkarann, based on Mahesh Bhatt's Zakhm, in which she was seen playing a grey character. A day before her demise, she was shooting a song sequence for her show.