A look back into the career of Reema Lagoo

Veteran actor Reema Lagoo died early on Thursday morning after suffering from a cardiac arrest, she was 59. Her family confirmed that she died at 3.15 am on Thursday after suffering a heart attack at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai. Her son-in-law Vinay Waikul confirmed her death and said, “She was fine but complained of chest pain around 1 pm. We took her to hospital but she dies around 3:15 am after a cardiac arrest.” Reema Lagoo’s funeral took place on Thursday afternoon with her friends and colleagues from the industry present to pay her their last respects. From Aamir Khan to Kajol, Rakesh Bedi to Viraf Patel, various generations of film and TV artistes came together to bid the veteran actor a final adieu.

Born Nayan Bhadbhade, she was daughter of Marathi stage actress Mandakini Bhadbhade. While her acting prowess were noted even when she was a student in Pune, she started acting on stage after completing school. She soon started acting in Hindi and Marathi film. She gained prominence once she started doing mother’s roles in Hindi films, the first of such character roles was as the mother of Juhi Chawla in Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. In fact, after playing Salman Khan’s mother’s roles in multiple blockbusters, many thought of her as his real-life mother! Another of her famous role was as Sanjay Dutt’s mother in Vaastav who kills her son. Reema Lagoo won four Filmfare awards in the supporting actress category.

While Reema began her career with television, she gained prominence with Mansoor Khan’s 1988 romantic film Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak in which she played Juhi Chawla’s mother.

She was best known for playing mother’s roles in blockbusters such as Maine Pyar Kiya, Aashiqui, Saajan, Hum Aapke Hain Koun, Vaastav, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Hum Saath Saath Hain, Reema Lagoo had also done extensive work on television including Shrimaan Shrimati and Tu Tu Main Main. In fact, the actor was doing a show made by Mahesh Bhatt, Naamkaran, at present. She played a negative character on the show, which was a far cry from the mother’s roles that defined her film career.

The Actress went on to play the mother of Salman in films like Sooraj Barjatya’s romantic drama Maine Pyar Kiya and Lawrence D’Souza’s 1991 romantic drama Saajan, Anant Balani’s 1991 crime film Patthar Ke Phool. David Dhawan’s 1998 comedy Judwaa, Barjatya’s 1999 family drama Hum Saath-Saath Hain. She also shared the screen space with Salman in Karan Johar’s 1998 directorial debut Kuch Kuch Hota Hai but portrayed the role of Kajol’s mother in the romantic comedy film.

She also played the role of a mother to Dixit in Barjatya’s 1994 romantic comedy Hum Aapke Hain Koun and to Shah Rukh Khan in Nikkhil Advani’s 2004 film Kal Ho Naa Ho. Her last notable Hindi film appearance was in Sanjay Gadhvi’s 2008 crime thriller Kidnap in which she played Minissha Lamba’s grandmother.

She is also known for her prowess in Marathi cinema and on Indian television. She starred in two memorable television shows – Tu Tu Main Main with Supriya Pilgaonkar and Shrimaan Shrimati. She was last seen in Mahesh Bhatt’s television serial Naamkaran.

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