Exclusive! 'It's an end of an era of vivaciousness', says Sonali Kulkarni on the sad demise of Rishi Kapoor

Rishi Kapoor's demise has left the country shocked and distressed. Fans and colleagues who are still digesting the passing away of actor Irrfan Khan, were in for another blow this morning when news of veteran actor Rishi Kapoor's demise broke. Rishi passed away this morning at a hospital in Mumbai at 8.45 am after a two-year-long battle with leukaemia. Friends and family of the beloved Kapoor have been expressing their grief since then and among them is Marathi actress Sonali Kulkarni.
The 'Madhuri' actress, who has shared screen space with the legendary Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor in Amol Palekar's 1997 film 'Daayraa', called this an end of an era of vivaciousness.
Expressing her grief, Sonali said "I, fortunately, met Rishi Sir last year at a private party. To my surprise, he recognised me. He vividly remembered the time when we worked together 23 years ago in Amol Palekar's 'Daayraa'. He played a cameo role in the film along with Meenakshi Seshadri and Saroj Khan. I still remember being overwhelmed when I saw them together on the set of the film."
"But Rishi remembering this short meet from 23 years back is something that I cannot forget. He said 'Don't you remember, we worked together in 'Daayraa'. I will never forget his sharp memory and crisp humour. I think it's an end of an era of vivaciousness," Sonali added.
The actress also said, "The song 'Dafli Wale Dafli Baja' from the film 'Sargam' is one of my favourites. 'Sargam' and '102 Not Out' will always remain special for me. I simply loved his performances in both the films."
On the work front, Sonali will be soon seen in Gajendra Ahire's upcoming social drama 'Pinga'. She plays a major role in the film alongside Rinku Rajguru. The film is slated to release soon. However, the current situation with the coronavirus outbreak will surely change the makers' initial plans.