Our thoughts and sincere condolences go out to everyone who has lost a loved one in the shocking and tragic events that have unfolded in Mumbai over the last few days.
Whilst the despair shown in the television images of Aashish Chaudhary was repeated throughout the city and elsewhere hundreds of times over, it somehow seems more personal as he is known to us, albeit remotely, through his performances in movies such as Qayamat, Girlfriend and most recently EMI.
His sister Monica Chhabria and her husband had arrived at the Tiffin Restaurant at the Trident-Oberoi for dinner before being caught up in the horror of the evening. It is believed they were killed when the restaurant was randomly sprayed with bullets.
Aashish maintained a vigil throughout the subsequent events, knowing that his sister was inside. As the bodies were later removed from the restaurant, he had to endure the duty of identifying his sister and brother-in-law.
The causes of this tragedy run deep and varied and now is not the time to discuss them or to jump to irrational, thoughtless or unprincipled conclusions. Now is simply the time to recognise and share in the grief of those that have suffered.
