Reema Lagoo, Bollywood's favourite 'mother', passes away

Veteran Indian actor Reema Lagoo, known for her performance in movies like Hum Aapke Hain Koun and Kal Ho Na Ho, passed away early on Thursday morning after reportedly suffering from cardiac arrest, reports Times of India. She was 59.

According to reports, Reema had complained of chest pain on Wednesday night and was rushed to Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital in Andheri, Mumbai where she breathed her last.

“We will issue a health report later in the day, after consulting with her family,” the hospital’s Executive Director Ram Naraian said.

Her son-in-law Vinay Waikul said: “She was complaining of chest pain so we took her to hospital around 1 am. She passed away due to a heart attack around 3.15 am. She was perfectly fine and had no health issues...so it is really shocking for all us that she is no more with us.”

The actor was famous for playing mother to protagonists in Bollywood movies like Hum Saath Saath Hain and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and also has some notable TV work to her credit, such as the iconic sit-com Tu Tu Main Main.

Her acting career spanned over four decades and she received four Filmfare Awards for best supporting actress.

She was currently shooting a TV show Naamkaran by Mahesh Bhatt, in which she broke her nurturing, motherly mould and starred in a negative role for one of the first times.

Mahesh Bhatt was shocked by her passing:

Soon, her other colleagues from the Indian film and TV industry expressed disbelief at her unexpected death: