Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote a letter of condolence to superstar Akshay Kumar who lost his mother after prolonged illness. Akshay took to social media to thank the PM for the gesture and wrote that his comforting words will stay with him forever. In his letter, PM Modi wrote that he was saddened by the demise of Aruna Bhatia and advised the actor to preserve her memories and legacy.
PM Modi’s letter read, “My dear Akshay, It was best if I would never have written such a letter. In an ideal world, such a time should never have come. I was saddened by the demise of your Mother, Smt. Aruna Bhatia. When I spoke to you that fateful morning, you were crestfallen and you encapsulated it emotionally when you wrote, "She was my core. And today I feel an unbreakable pain at the very core of my existence." You tasted success after much hard work and struggle. You have built a name and achieved fame for yourself through your determination and tenacity. Through your journey, you retained the right values and moral strength due to which you could easily turn adversities into opportunities. And these learnings came from your parents. When you began your career, I am sure people on the way would have been sceptical, even outright condescending. But, your Mother stood with you like a rock. At the peak of success and the lows of failure, she was there as an anchor. She ensured you remained kind, compassionate and humble at all times. She also instilled a spirit of service in you, seen repeatedly through your philanthropic initiatives and eagerness to give back to society. What is heartening is that during her life, she saw you scale new heights of success and stardom. The manner in which you took care of her is deeply inspiring. She left the world knowing fully well that her beloved son is one of India's most admired and versatile actors. In such times of grief, words seldom do justice. Preserve her memories and legacy, and keep making her proud. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with you and your family. Om Shanti.”
Aruna Bhatia died on September 8. She was admitted to Mumbai’s Hiranandani Hospital on September 3 and was in a critical condition. The actor shared the news on Twitter. He wrote, "I feel an unbearable pain at the very core of my existence." Akshay had flown down to Mumbai from London after his mom's health deteriorated. After performing the last rites of his mother, he has now gone back to London with his family to fulfill work commitments. Akshay is currently shooting for ‘Cinderella’ which is being directed by Ranjit Tewari in London.