At some point in our life, we all have to deal with the loss of our loved one. ‘You were there a moment ago’ – nothing in this universe can prepare us to deal with this and the void created by them remains forever. Time might heal anything, but this! And with a loss of a grandparent, it makes even more difficult because they hold a special place in our heart and their unconditional love is hard to replace. There’s no one in the world, who can love us immensely like our grandparents. (Also Read: Amitabh Bachchan Gave Life And Death A Deep Thought After Attending 'Samdhan', Ritu Nanda's Chautha)
Ishaan Khatter and Shahid Kapoor are mourning the loss of their nani, Khadija Azeem. Neliima Azeem’s mother had taken her last breath a few days back and Ishaan penned down a eulogy for his late maternal grandmother. Ishaan was very close to his ammi and his social media profile is a proof of it. Ishaan had posted priceless pictures with his nani on Instagram and complemented it with beautiful captions. On Independence Day 2016, Ishaan had posted a picture of his ammi and had written, “Happy Independence day to those who fought to give us our independence and earned their own. And to those who will use this independence to flourish and build upon what we already have - wealth in the form of knowledge, culture, values, diversity and unity. Ammi said to me this morning, "Ishu, azaad India ki pehli subha humne Bombay mein hi bitai thi". Here we are, 70 years later.”
Penning down the eulogy for his ammi, Ishaan Khatter wrote, “Ammi... you instilled wit, fire, knowledge, perseverance, purpose and meaning in all of us. Freedom fighter, writer, translator, editor, sister, wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, friend, confidant - you were so many things and more. They don’t make them like you anymore. Blessed to have had you in my life. I’ll carry a small piece of your vast presence with me always. You’ll never be forgotten by anybody whose life you deeply impacted. In the first picture on the left, my Nani - Khadija Azeem - with her sister and my grand aunt, Shahida ammi. Here she is beaming proudly at her elder grandson’s wedding reception. The second picture is her with her two children, my Mamoo and my mother. And the third is her with her favourite aunt and mom.”
To Ishaan Khatter’s post, his bhabhi and Shahid Kapoor’s wife, Mira Rajput Kapoor offered condolence and replied with a red heart emoji. Ishaan’s father and Neliima Azeem’s ex-husband, Rajesh Khattar commented, “An accomplished woman, her zest for life was infectious, she & her husband anwar azeem saheb’s influence on my life just seeped in organically & somewhere helped in making me the person I am today. Rest in peace Ammi. U will always be in our hearts”, to which, Ishaan replied with a heart emoji. (Also Read: Farhan Akhtar Visits Step-Mother, Shabana Azmi At The Hospital With His Girlfriend, Shibani Dandekar)
In a throwback interview with the Bombay Times, Ishaan Khatter had recalled the separation phase of his mother, Neliima Azeem with his father, Rajesh Khattar and with step-father, Ustad Raza Ali Khan. Ishaan had stated, “I was very young when my parents separated, and later, my mother remarried. For six years, I stayed with my stepfather (Ustad Raza Ali Khan) and my mother. Then, they separated and I saw her go through two broken marriages and her struggle to keep things together.”
Speaking of the sacrifices his mother has made for him during his childhood, Ishaan Khatter had continued, “She would often put her own feelings in the back seat to take care of others. That’s an act of selflessness. For many years, I saw her go through emotional strain and difficulties. She had more on her plate than she could deal with while taking care of us. I often saw her go through changes in her personality. She is a lovely person, that’s why it’s important for me to give her all the comfort, happiness and satisfaction I can. I have great admiration for her.”
Reminiscing about his childhood, the Dhadak of B-town, Ishaan Khatter had recalled, “I can’t say that my childhood was easy or difficult, and I can’t relieve those days, but what I can say is that it made me grow up faster than other kids. It taught me a lot and made me the person I am today. I am emotionally strong, passionate, empathetic and sensitive towards others, especially the people I love.” (Also Read: Shweta Bachchan Pens A Goodbye Note For Mother-In-Law, Ritu Nanda, Shares A Picture With Her)
We wish the family, loads of strength to sail through this turbulent time.
