Rani Mukerji: Sridevi had called me after watching trailer, she wanted to see Hichki

Actress Rani Mukerji spoke about the loss she felt at the sudden demise of veteran actress Sridevi at an event for her upcoming film, Hichki. While the rest of the film industry chose to post condolence messages on social media, Mukerji, who is not on any platform, chose to speak about her memories to mediapersons.

Expressing shock, Mukerji said, “The day, the time I got to know about her demise, it was the most shocking and tragic thing for me to hear. I still can’t believe that we are talking about her demise. I feel surreal to talk about her in the past tense.”

The legendary Indian actress had spoken to Mukerji a few days before she left for Dubai, where she attended a family wedding. On 24 February, her body was found in a bathtub at the hotel room she was staying in. The cause of death has been stated as accidental drowning.

“I was looking forward to show her my film Hichki. She called me after seeing the trailer and said 'Laddoo, I have to see this movie'. I told her 'yes maa as soon as the movie is ready, I can show it you'," said Mukerji.

“Since I had a child, she’s been very supportive these last two years. The kind of love that she has given to me and Adira [daughter], has been phenomenal. She was literally like an elder sister, elder maasi (aunty), a pillar of support to me in the last two years. It is extremely sad that two people who loved me immensely, and I was keen to show them Hichki, are no longer in my life," Mukerji mourned, as she lost her father Ram Mukerji in October 2017.

Speaking about her memories of Sridevi during her childhood, Mukerji said, "For me Sridevi ji has been my favourite from childhood. She knew me as a kid because I used to go in my school uniform to see her shooting. She worked in my uncle Shomu Mukherjee’s film. She remembers me as that kid I’ve connected with in a very different way when I grew up. She called me 'Laddoo'. I’m going to miss that.”

She added, “For us to to even fathom something like this happened is too difficult to digest. What I went through with my dad, three months back is something very difficult to accept. But that is what life is. It tells you the most important truth, you have to accept it even if you don’t want to.”

Hichki is set to be released on 23 March. Sridevi’s mortal remains will arrive in India later this evening and the funeral is likely to take place tomorrow (28 February).