Saira Banu remembers Sulakshana Pandit: 'So full of love'

Mumbai, Nov 8 (IANS) Veteran actress Saira Banu has penned a heartfelt note for late star Sulakshana Pandit, who passed away aged 71 on November 6 and said that she was “so full of love”.

Saira took to Instagram, where she penned a note for Zarine Khan, wife of Sanjay Khan, and Sulakshana Pandit, with whom she starred in the 1976 film “Hera Pheri” starring Amitabh Bachchan.

She wrote: “And then there was Sulakshana Pandit so devoted to her family, so full of love. She sang like a nightingale, her voice touched hearts with its purity. A wonderful young lady, she would often visit our home after our marriage, accompanied by her talented brothers Jatin and Lalit and revered father Pandit Ji.”

Saira said that remembers “her fondly her laughter, her humility, her sparkle. Later, destiny brought us together again when we worked on Prakash Mehra’s “Hera Pheri” memories that will forever stay close to my heart.”

“Today, as I remember both Zarine and Sulakshana, my heart feels heavy, yet full of love. They were women of immense grace and warmth and I shall always cherish the moments we shared. May their gentle souls rest in peace and their light continue to shine eternally in the heavens above.”

According to reports, Sulakshana had been ill for quite a long time and took her last breath at a hospital in Mumbai. There had been no official statement released from her family or team at the time of filing the report.

For the uninitiated, Sulakshana Pandit was a star of Bollywood in the 1970s. The actress, along with acting in films, was also known for her exceptional singing.

She was the sister of actress Vijayta Pandit and music composer duo Jatin-Lalit. She was also the niece of the legendary classical vocalist Pandit Jasraj. Pandit, born on July 12, 1954, in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, began singing at the tender age of nine.

She rose to fame as a singer with her hit song 'Saat Samandar Paar Se' with Lata Mangeshkar from the 1967 movie Taqdeer.

She has starred in hit movies like Hera Pheri, Waqt Ki Deewar, Apnapan, and Khandaan, amongst others. In her time in Bollywood, Pandit has worked with superstars including Rajesh Khanna, Jeetendra, Vinod Khanna, Shashi Kapoor, and Shatrughan Sinha.

Her final playback song was in Khamoshi: The Musical, released in 1996, which was composed by her brothers Jatin and Lalit.

--IANS

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