By Subhash K Jha

Kirron Kher's mother Diljit Thakar Singh passed away at the ripe and robust age of 84 in Chandigarh on 25 June.

"She died of a cardiac arrest.The last time I spoke to her in Chandigarh was on the 18 June when it was her birthday, " sighs Kirron. "I wish I was with her ... But no regrets. My mother wouldn't have liked it. She was a vibrant woman of many talents.

She was a painter. My brother who passed away suddenly five years ago, inherited her talent for painting. My younger sister Kanwal inherited my mother's dexterity at the game of badminton. And I got my mother's flair for dramatics."

If Kirron wanted she could have been a badminton champ. "But that mantle was passed to my sister. Do you know, my mother and sister played badminton together at state - level tournament when my sister was 11!

My mother was excellent at everything she did. She was a perfectionist. And not one of those parents who think their children are the best. If I wrore chappals to go out she'd reprimand me and wonder why I wasn't wearing high heels. And on top of that she was a very elegant dresser.

At 5 feet 7 inches she had the height to look royal in everything she wore. She had the most exquisite saree and jewellery collection. I think I've inherited her taste in clothes and jewellery."

Besides many other things Kirron's mother was also a connossieur of Urdu poetry and cinema. "And I'm not talking about just Indian cinema. She was interested in world cinema.

She ordered journals on world cinema at home in Chandigarh. And she didn't miss a single film. We had an ayah who looked after us three children. Every weekend my mother and ayah would go for every film."

Kirron's mother apparently played a part in a recent film Mummyji.

"It wasn't really a part, " laughs Kirron. "The director Pammi Somal wanted my parents to walk through a shot. Which they did....there was no acting involved."

Concludes the wistful daughter, "My mother was with me when my son Sikandar was born. She was the first one after me to hold my son. My mother was always at the forefront of anything she did. A friend of mine said she must be as spirited in afterlife as she was in this life.I don't doubt that."