Deserted by kids, 'Pakeezah' actress Geeta Kapoor dead
Mumbai, May 26: Veteran Bollywood actress Geeta Kapoor, who shot into the limelight for her role in the classic "Pakeezah", breathed her last in a Mumbai old age home on Saturday morning, a family friend said.
She was 67 and had been living in the old age home after she was reportedly abandoned by her son and daughter last year.
"Heartbreaking! 'Pakeezah' actress Geeta Kapoor passes away after waiting to see her children one last time," tweeted her friend and film-personality Ashoke Pandit.
She had acted in around 100 films in supporting roles/characters, including prominent ones in Kamal Amrohi's films "Pakeezah"," "Razia Sultan".
In a humanitarian gesture, film producer Ramesh Taurani and Pandit had been caring for the actress and paying her medical bills after her children turned their backs on her. Her son Raja is a choreographer and her daughter Pooja is an airhostess.
Kapoor, was deserted by her children in May 2017 at the SRV Hospital, Goregaon, and was later shifted by Pandit and Taurani, to the Jeevan Asha old age home run by the Society of Helpers of Mary in Andheri West.
She had once complained of ill-treatment meted out by her son, including assault and not giving her food regularly.
She longed very much to see her children since then, but they never came and she kept getting weaker with passing time, and finally passed away on Saturday, said Pandit.
The body will be kept at the Cooper Hospital morgue ahead of the funeral on Monday amid hopes that her children would come to perform the final rites.
"Her body will be kept at Cooper Hospital, Vile Parle for two days hoping her children to come and at least do the last rites. Otherwise, we will do our best to bid her a dignified goodbye," Pandit tweeted.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
AI, AI Express look to add capacity amid IndiGo flight disruptions
New Delhi (PTI): Air India Group is looking to add capacity to help passengers impacted by the IndiGo flight disruptions.
"Since 4 December, economy class airfares on non-stop domestic flights have been proactively capped to prevent the usual demand-and-supply mechanism being applied by revenue management systems," a statement said on Saturday.
Both Air India and Air India Express have put in place caps on economy class fares.
ALSO READ: IndiGo cancels over 200 flights from Delhi, Mumbai on Saturday
The statement from Air India came hours after the government announced introduction of airfare caps amid IndiGo flight disruptions.
Air India also said it is not technically possible to cap fares for all flight permutations.
"Air India and Air India Express are seeking to add capacity to help travellers and their baggage reach their destinations as quickly as possible," the statement said.
