Actress Surekha Sikri left for her heavenly abode, this morning. The 75-year-old actress suffered a cardiac arrest. She was fighting a few health complications after her second brain stroke.
We have been speaking to many of her co-stars since morning who have been expressing their grief. Now, her on-screen grandson from the show Balika Vadhu, Avinash Mukherjee has also spoken to us about the late actress' unmatched dedication and love for her craft.
Talking to SpotboyE.com exclusively, Avinash Mukherjee said, "I just got the news and I am deeply saddened. She used to love me a lot and really considered me as her grandson ladesar, which I was playing in Balika Vadhu. It's a big loss for all of us. I have personally worked with Surekha Ji for two and a half years. I may not have been in touch with her for the last couple of years but I know that she has always been very disciplined and dedicated towards her work. She is one of the greatest actresses to have lived on this planet." Also read: Surekha Sikri Passes Away: Balika Vadhu Co-star Shashank Vyas Says, 'I Have Done Something Good In Life That I Got A Chance To Work With Her'- EXCLUSIVE
Avinash added how he still watches clips of Balika Vadhu only to see her act. "I just keep seeing clips of Balika Vadhu just to see her acting. And with every passing year, by seeing her work, I learn more. I was a 12-year-old when I was doing Balika Vadhu and one day on the sets I asked her how do you act so well? And looking at my age, an innocent boy asking this, she just answered me in one word 'Experience'," said Avinash. Also read: Surekha Sikri Passes Away: Avika Gor Mourns The Loss; Says, 'She Taught Me To Stay Grounded, There Will Be No One Like Her'- EXCLUSIVE
Avinash, who actually treated Surekha Sikri as his real grandmother, concluded, "God is taking away the best of the best from us. A few days back it was Dilip Sahab and now it's Surekha Ji. What I remember and what will stay with me for my life is that the only person she had around her while we used to shoot for Balika Vadhu was her husband as her children were settled abroad. And her husband passed away when she was on the set at 2 pm (lunchtime). She left the set and the next day she was there on the sets at 7 am ready with makeup and dialogues. Everybody was shocked seeing her on the set and kept staring at her. She came and performed without any hesitation or anything on her face. So, what we can take from her is that your personal life shouldn't affect your work. This requires the next level of dedication which she had."
Image source: Instagram/avinashmukherjee_