“Your charm won’t work on me,” Reema ji used to tell me: Viraf Patel

Trying to speak in a normal voice but sadness engulfing him, Viraf Patel seemed low having lost his closest co-star Reema Lagoo.

As readers would know, the actress passed away early this morning (18 May) after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Reema, who was part of Star Plus’ Naamkarann was shooting for it till last night. Once home, at around 1 am, the actress complained of chest pain and was rushed to Kokilaben Hospital by her daughter and son-in-law, where she breathed her last.

Viraf, who played her on-screen son, was in loss of words while he spoke to us recalling his association with the talented actress.

“I have not been shooting with the team for quite some time so had not met her recently but she will remain a special part for me. She is known to have played the most popular mother roles and I feel honoured that I got to play her last on-screen son. She has had worked for 40 years and build a towering career for her. She was working till her last day and I think the camera celebrated her life in every way,” said the actor.

With a feeble smile, Viraf shared, “I remember whenever I used to forget my lines while shooting with Reema ji, I would tell the director that since she is so pretty I miss on my lines. She would laughingly hit me, and say that my charm won’t work on her. She will be like try this with younger actresses. I would ask her that what will work with you, and she would smiling say, ‘Just keep working hard and I will be happy.’ It’s such a sudden happening and I am going to really miss her a lot.”

Viraf also shared a heart-warming post on Instagram that read:

Dear Reemaji, Strangely, late last night while you may have been grappling with your last breadth i was awake going through the stills of #naamkarann and guess what i stumbled upon? This photograph i had pulled aside, to send it to you. But now I wake up to news of you moving on to another form; another world and my hands have a strange tremble as i type this. This picture for me is our most special picture, amongst many others as it somewhat captures the quiet offscreen bond we had. The love and authority you would scold me with, encourage me with, guide me with, be mad at me will always remain special. Your smile, your tenacity, your sense of humour, your love for life, your enthusiasm for acting even after doing it for over 4 decades shone through as much as you. Am so glad we made up the last time we fought and i got to say sorry and you said lets make a new beginning Viraf, am so glad I got a chance to work all those hours with you and learn from you, all that i did. Am just very sorry for not sending you this pic earlier but am sure eventually you will see this note and picture, in your own way just the way you managed to do so most things that didn’t meet your gorgeous eyes. till then .. #withlove your last (onscreen) son

A post shared by Viraf Phiroz Patel (@virafpp) on May 17, 2017 at 11:18pm PDT

RIP Reema Lagoo ji!!!