Megastar Amitabh Bachchan has expressed shock over the death of child artist Taruni Sachdev, who played his school friend in “Paa”, in Monday’s plane crash in Nepal.
Taruni, who became famous as the Rasna girl, was on the flight with her mother Geetha Sachdev.
“Just reading that Taruni Sachdev the girl child artist in ‘Paa’, has perished in Nepal plane crash .. please god may this not be true,” Amitabh posted on his Twitter page.
At 14, Tarini had already featured in almost 50 ads and did a cameo in “Paa”. She was among 13 Indians who were killed when the aircraft crashed into a hill while coming in to land at Jomsom in western Nepal.
Amitabh, 69, has memories of Jomsom.
“Jomsom, where the plane crash in Nepal took place is where we shot ‘Khuda Gawah’, a raw airfield and most difficult to land on,” posted Big B.
Abhishek Bachchan was equally saddened
“SHOCKED and very saddened to hear about the Nepal plane crash. Lost one of my cutest co-stars. Little Taruni Sachdev from PAA. Speechless,” Abhishek tweeted.
Taruni had also featured in over 50 commercials, including one with Karishma Kapoor. She became famous as Rasna Girl. Taruni’s mother who was accompanying her on the flight also died in the crash.
Thirteen Indians among 15 people died in the Nepal air crash on Monday. The small Dornier aircraft carrying 21 people crashed in the country’s mountainous region on Monday morning. The plane belonging to Agni Air had 21 people on board including three crew members.
The local police said that it crashed while trying to land at the high altitude Jomsom Airport, which is a gateway to a popular tourist and trekking destination.
List of Indian passengers on board the Agni Air plane that crashed: K Mamanya, SK Arora, M Handa, M Arora, R Handa, K Arora, T Sachdev, G Sachdev, Sanaim Sudhar, G Raman, Kidambi Tirumala, Latha Echambade, Sreeva Kidambi Tirumala, Sreepada Kidambi Tirumala, Mr Kumar and Mrs Kumar.
The plane turned into pieces but did not caught fire. The bodies of Pilot Prabhu Sharan Pathak and Co-pilot JD Maharjan were also recovered.