Sayani Gupta shares precious memories about her father, Kamal Gupta, who passed away 15 years ago.
Her mother, says the actor, often tells her in Bengali, 'Ekdom babar moto hoyechhe' meaning that Sayani's personality is similar to her father's.
He was, she says, an artiste who loved to eat, laugh and have a good time. "I can see the similarities," she smiles.
"I used to feel that I was, in some ways, living his dream.
"He had an air of absolute freedom and abundance about him. I think I inherited that.
"Most of his life went into making music, travelling the world and keeping people around him entertained... somewhat like a court jester but one that everyone was in awe of," she says fondly.
Whenever her father would visit a friend or acquaintance, Sayani says, he would gift them big boxes of things to eat. Like him, she never goes anywhere empty-handed.
Since her Dad's passing, Sayani, in a heartfelt reflection, says she learnt about the fickle nature of life.
"At the time of the accident that cost him his life, he was walking out of a confectionery shop with two big brown paper packets of namkeen in his hand.
"I remember I came home after cremating him and the little samosas in the brown paper bag that was kept on the table was still smelling of fresh ghee.
"That moment singlehandedly taught me about the fickleness of life... the thinnest line that exists between life and death."
Sayani tells her father looked ravishing and often had complete control over the pulse of the room, a quality she thinks she lacks.
"I often wish I had his gift of the gab and was more social like him. So, I guess, in that way we are different.
"I think he was more at ease with his ambition whereas I am fiercely ambitious; I think I have my mom's professionalism and tenacity."
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