Bollywood’s favourite new-age mom, Reema Lagoo, passed away following a cardiac arrest in Mumbai on Thursday morning. The versatile actor who was a part of several theatre productions, TV shows and films was 59 and she breathed her last at Mumbai’s Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital.
Lagoo rose to fame after playing the role of Salman Khan’s mother in Sooraj Barjatya’s blockbuster Maine Pyar Kiya (1989), she also played Juhi Chawla’s mom in Aamir Khan’s debut hit Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988). The actress has been a part of several Bollywood successes such as Aashiqui, Saajan, Hum Aapke Hain Koun...!, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Vaastav, Hum Saath Saath Hain and Kal Ho Na Ho.
Besides films, Reema was also popular for starring in TV shows such as Tu Tu Main Main, Shrimaan Shrimati and other Marathi serials.
Bollywood expressed shock and grief at her death.
I have lost a mother again today. We worked together in several movies and every time I worked with her, I learnt something new. Her demise has left a void which is difficult to fill. May God give strength to her family and close ones.Sanjay Dutt, Actor
Actor Satish Shah was shocked to hear about the news of Reema’s death and said:
I am devastated, this is the second big shock after Vinod bhai. She was a wonderful soul, this world has lost a wonderful, warm person. She was a very bubbly woman, full of life. She was very dedicated to her work, a very focussed actor. I have never seen or heard her having a squabble with anyone. I don’t know about her personal life, about how tense she was, but she was the last candidate to deserve a heart attack. I used to always call her ‘Hi Chikni, how are you?’, she was a very pretty woman.Satish Shah
Speaking to The Quint, actor Mohnish Bahl, who was a part of the cast of Maine Pyar Kiya and Hum Saath Saath Hai said:
We spent a lot of time together on sets together. Reemaji was a wonderfully warm person. She was the kind of person you could spend time with on the sets, knock on her make-up room and say ‘Hey what’s up!’, even though she was slightly older to all of us - Salman and me and the other younger lot. You didn’t feel the discomfort of the age difference or of her seniority. She was genuinely a very warm and welcoming person.Mohnish Bahl
Juhi Chawla who acted with Reema Lagoo in films like Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak and Yes Boss had met the actress few weeks ago.
It really is shocking. I met her just some weeks ago at an awards function at Raj Bhavan. She has to be one of the most beautiful people, I personally thought she was so pretty with her light eyes and lovely features. My most vivid memories are of working with her in Yes Boss, where she played Shah Rukh’s mother and I always loved watching her in Sooraj Barjatya films. She was the ideal mom and his films would be incomplete without her.Juhi Chawla
The film industry also reacted to Reema Lagoo’s sudden passing via Twitter:
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