The funeral of yesteryear’s heart-throb Sadhana Shivdasani on Saturday morning was attended essentially by the senior generation of Bollywood.
The final journey from her Santacruz residence began 15 minutes before the appointed time of 11.30 am. Sadhana’s close friends Waheeda Rehman and Asha Parekh just made it in the nick of time to have a last glimpse.
Sadhana’s cousin, Babita Kapoor nee Shivdasani, was conspicuous by her absence. Remarked a film industry stalwart of yore, “They were first cousins, but they never got along. There was no professional rivalry between them, there could have been some personal reasons.”
“It is understandable that Babita’s daughters Karisma and Kareena were not there to pay their last respects,” the stalwart added. “They must not have met Sadhanaji. Still, I cannot help feeling that Babitaji could have been there to bid farewell to her cousin.”
The absence of Pam Chopra, wife of the late director Yash Chopra, was also felt. Sadhana, who had acted in one of Yash Chopra’s earliest hits Waqt (1965), was said to be a close friend of the family.
Dimple Kapadia, who kept in regular contact with Sadhana over the decades, couldn’t make it because she’s in Delhi with her daughter Rinke.
According to the talk at the venue, Sadhana has made arrangements in her will for the upbringing and education of Riya, the teenaged daughter of Flory, her loyal domestic help.
Relatives from Sadhana’s immediate family and that of her late husband RK Nayyar were present at the Santacruz residence.
Image Source: Myheritage, Manav Manglani, Enjooll & Beritanetizen