Bollywood Actor Shahid Kapoor is the latest celebrity to mourn the demise of Pandit Birju Maharaj. He said that Maharaj-ji and his family had a close relationship.
Shahid and Ishaan Khatter’s mother Neelima Azeem had studied the Kathak form of Indian classical dance under Birju Maharaj. In his emotional social media note, he said that the late Kathak legend will always be like a father to his mother.
“One of the greatest of all time in the world of Indian classical dance. Pandit Birju Maharaj Ji. I was blessed to have spent so much time with you. You will always be like a father to mom and your greatness in the arts is only superseded by your grace and beauty as a person,” he wrote.
Shahid called Birju Maharaj’s death a “tragic loss.”
“It’s a tragic loss to the entire nation and to the world of dance today as there will never be another like you. In loving memory. RIP,” he added.
Ishaan took a stroll down memory lane and shared a string of images of Birju Maharaj.
In one of the pictures, Shahid can be seen smiling while shaking hands with Birju Maharaj.
For the unversed, Birju Maharaj was 83 when he breathed his last on Monday in Delhi. In an interaction with ANI, his granddaughter had said that dance exponent was being treated for a kidney ailment since last several months.
