Exclusive: Jassie Gill reveals Surekha Sikri couldn’t speak much during Kya Meri Sonam Gupta Bewafa Hai; one side was paralyzed

After a break of 11 long years, veteran actress Surekha Sikri returned to films and won us over with her spectacular performances in projects like Badhaai Ho, Ghost Stories and Sniff. As we waited eagerly for her next film Kya Meri Sonam Gupta Bewafa Hai, Surekha ji suffered a cardiac arrest and breathed her last in July this year at the age of 76. Not just fans and celebrities, but the entire country was heartbroken. Well, in an exclusive interview with Desimartini, her co-star Jassie Gill shared his experience of working with the phenomenal actress in her last film. He revealed that when he shot for Kya Meri Sonam Gupta Bewafa Hai with his on-screen daadi Surekha, he felt as though his own grandmother is with him on the film’s set!

Jassie revealed, “Unke bare mein toh yeh matlab.. woh film mein meri daadi ka role kar rahi hain aur matlab unse feel hi yeh aati thi ki main apni daadi ke saath hun kyunki unka dekhne ka nazariya.. (She has played the role of my grandmother and I felt like I am actually with my own grandmother.)” He went on to add, “Woh abhi bohot kum bolti thi, toh jitna bolti thi aankho se hi bolti thi. Matlab aankhon se pata chal jaata tha ki woh aapko pyaar de rahi hain, woh aapke taraf dekh rahi hain, toh matlab woh sab cheezein matlab aisi thi ki mujhe feel ho raha tha ki set pe meri apni daadi hai, uss tareeke ka (She used to speak very less, so she talked with her eyes. By the way she looked at you, you could tell that she loves you and I felt as if my grandmother is with me on set.)” The actor also shared that when you see her scenes in the film, you will feel there is a hidden camera in her house and her real life is being captured, because she is so natural!

Jassie went on to add, “Unse maine seekha ki jazba hona chahiye bande mein. Jaisi woh unki haalat thi iss time pe, last jab humne shoot kiya, unki ek side poori paralyzed thi aur woh wheelchair pe the. But fir bhi itna jazbe ke saath, poore dil ke saath woh kaam kar rahe the, matlab uske liye salute hai (I learned from her that one should have passion. When we were shooting towards the end, one side of her body was paralyzed and she was in a wheelchair. But still she worked passionately with all her heart and for that I salute her.)”