Gajraj Rao, director Amit Sharma to support Surekha Sikri

Surekha Sikri/picture courtesy: mid-day archives

A three-recipient National Award winner Surekha Sikri was hospitalised on Tuesday, September 8, after the actress had a brain stroke. The hospital officials shared that the actress is critical but stable as of now. A film, theatre and TV veteran, is best known for her performances in Tamas, Mammo, Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro, Zubeidaa and daily soap Balika Vadhu. Surekha received widespread praise for her role of a grandmother in Ayushmann Khurrana-starrer Badhaai Ho, where she played Gajraj Rao's mother in the movie.

Speaking of which, Gajraj Rao and the director Amit Sharma have decided to help the actress financially for the treatment. In an interview with Times of India, Gajraj shared, "Both Amit Sharma, the Badhaai Ho director, and I are in touch with Surekha ji's secretary Vivek and yes, we are all there with her and we'll extend all help we can, to her."

Amit Sharma also added, "I am in Goa, but I have been in touch with her family. I have not spoken to anyone else, but people who are close to her- her family, nurse and manager. I will be doing my best to provide any kind of help that would be needed and I don't think there would be any financial obstacles in her treatment."

Earlier, Sukreha expressed her concern over the government's rule about the senior citizens who weren't allowed to work due to the pandemic. Earlier she was quoted saying, "It is a rotten rule, a very unfair rule because it violates my right to work to the best of my ability and earn a living for my family."

While promoting and shooting Badhaai Ho, Surekha Sikri, who was 73 then, shared in a media interaction, "Retirement? Hello, I don't even know that word. What does it mean? That's a very old-fashioned English concept ... That you do something and then you retire -- and mostly it applies to government servants. Fortunately, I am a freelancer and I don't have any wish or desire to retire. I can just go on and on."

She also shared how the roles and the time have been changing since she started working. "Scripts are a reflection of what is happening around. It is a male-dominated world, so there are more male characters in films. There should be more roles for older female actors. People of my age were earlier pieces of furniture in a film. But now things are different."

Her passion to work more at this age leaves everyone motivated.

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