Amitabh mourns demise of on-screen mother Sulochana Latkar

"The news of Sulochana ji has taken away all the cheering and joy of the well wishers at Jalsa," wrote Amitabh in his blog.

Mumbai: Amitabh Bachchan paid an emotional tribute to legendary actor Sulochana Latkar, who passed away on Sunday. She was 94.

In his blog, Amitabh informed that he had been monitoring Sulochana Latkar’s condition with her family. He also added that the news “has taken away all the cheering and joy of the well-wishers at Jalsa”. “We have lost another great of our Cinema World – Sulochana ji .. the gentle, generous, caring Mother that played in several films with me .. she had been ailing for some time .. and this afternoon she left for her heavenly abode .. I had been monitoring here condition with her family .. but finally the sad news ! We can only pray in such unforgiving circumstance. There was work today as well and the timed schedule allowed me to be back for the GOJ .. happily .. but the news of Sulochana ji has taken away all the cheering and joy of the well wishers at Jalsa .. I am hesitant to write anymore .. so do excuse ..More another DAY (sic),” he wrote.

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Amitabh had worked with Sulochana Latkar in several films like ‘Reshma Aur Shera’, ‘Muqadddar Ka Sikander’, ‘Majboor’ and ‘Roti Kapada Aur Makan’ among others.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief over the passing away of a veteran actor. He wrote in his tweet that she has left a “big void”.

He wrote, “The passing of Sulochana Ji leaves a big void in the world of Indian cinema. Her unforgettable performances have enriched our culture and have endeared her to people across generations. Her cinematic legacy will live on through her works. Condolences to her family. Om Shanti.”

Born on July 30, 1928, in Khadaklat village of Chikodi taluk of Belgaum district in Karnataka, she made her acting debut in 1946. ‘Sasurvas’ in 1946, ‘Vahinichya Bangdya’, ‘Meeth Bhakar’, ‘Sangtye Aika’, ‘Laxmi Ali Ghara’, ‘Moti Manse’, ‘Jivacha Sakha’, ‘Pativrata’, ‘Sukhache Sobti’, ‘Bhaubheej’, ‘Akashganga’, and ‘Dhakti Jau’ were among the Marathi films in which she starred as the lead actress from 1946 to 1961. Throughout her career in Hindi cinema, she frequently appeared opposite Nazir Hussain, Trilok Kapoor, and Ashok Kumar.

She worked with Bollywood stars like Sunil Dutt in ‘Heera’, ‘Jhoola’, ‘Ek Phool Char Kante’, ‘Sujata’, ‘Chirag’, ‘Reshma Aur Shera’, among other movies. Apart from him, she was seen with Dev Anand in ‘Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai’, ‘Pyar Mohabbat’, ‘Duniya’, and many more. Since 1969, she has frequently worked with Rajesh Khanna in films like ‘Dil Daulat Duniya’, ‘Bahraon Ke Sapne’, ‘Doli’, and others.

Among many roles that she portrayed on-screen, the seasoned actor was loved and appreciated for bringing out the traits of a mother in the most effective manner on-screen. Sulochana Latkar was awarded the Padma Shri Award, in 1999. In 2004, she received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award. She received the Maharashtra Bhushan Award from the Maharashtra government in 2009.