Lara Dutta’s Father, Retired Wing Commander LK Dutta, Dies At 84

New Delhi: Actress Lara Dutta’s father, Retired Wing Commander LK Dutta, has passed away at the age of 84. According to media reports, his funeral took place today, May 31, in Mumbai. A video shared by paparazzo Viral Bhayani shows the actress attending the funeral alongside her husband, Mahesh Bhupathi.

Lara was seen wearing a white salwar-kurta, while Mahesh donned a white shirt. The cause of death remains unascertained. The funeral was held at the Santacruz Hindu Crematorium.

Lara shared a close bond with her father. In an interview on Tellis Like It Is, she described their relationship: “My father, at a very young age, joined the Indian Air Force. He was at the NDA and then became an Air Force pilot, flew helicopters all his life. At the age of 41, he had his first heart attack and was grounded for life. So all the man really knew was to fly… and because he was an NDA product, he didn’t really go to a university or college, so had no educational qualifications apart from being a man who had fought three wars for his country — in ’65, ’69 and ’71. But then he found himself with three kids, the youngest being 3 years old, with no job, grounded for life. He didn’t want to stay in the Air Force because he knew it would kill him if he sat at a desk and wasn’t able to fly.”

Earlier this month, the actress marked 25 years of winning the Miss Universe pageant — a day that also coincides with her father’s birthday. Taking to Instagram, she wrote: “Yesterday was a day of roller coaster emotions… the 12th of May… a significant day in my life! Not just my Dad’s birthday, but also the day I won Miss Universe, 25 years ago! Time certainly flies!!! Marked the day yesterday with a puja to celebrate my father’s life. Knowing well how fleeting and fragile life is, it’s important to acknowledge and be grateful for the gifts the universe bestows upon us.”

The former beauty queen was last seen on the big screen alongside Akshay Kumar in Bell Bottom.

On the work front, Lara will next be seen in Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana, in which she essays the role of Kaikeyi, stepmother to Lord Ram. The film also stars Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi. She will also appear in Welcome to the Jungle, a multi-starrer featuring Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Paresh Rawal, Disha Patani, Raveena Tandon, and many more.