Actress Preity Zinta says she was fortunate enough to have met the "spirited" Dina Wadia, the grandmother of her former beau Ness Wadia.
Dina Wadia, the daughter of Pakistan's founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah, died at her home in New York on Thursday. She was 98.
Preity on Thursday tweeted: "Sorry to hear that the elegant and spirited Dina Wadia is no more. I was fortunate enough to have met her and really admired her. RIP."
Dina had married Mumbai-based Parsi businessman Neville Wadia over her father's objections and stayed back in India after Partition. She is survived by her daughter Diana N. Wadia, son Nusli N. Wadia, her grandsons Ness and Jeh Wadia and two great grandchildren Jah and Ella Wadia.
Sorry to hear that the elegant & spirited Dina Wadia is no more. I was fortunate enough to have met her & really admired her🙏#RIP
— Preity zinta (@realpreityzinta) November 2, 2017
In an unfortunate turn of events, Zinta and Ness parted ways after dating for four years in 2009. However, throughout the relationship, the Dil Chahta Hai actress spoke highly of Dina.
"The first time I met her, I stared at her open mouthed. My goodness, she carries so much history within her!" Zinta had said in an interview with the Times of India. "Each time I'm struck by her gentle demeanour, her classic elegance, and yes, her fragility," the actress had said.
"I was also struck by her unmistakable facial resemblance to her illustrious father (Jinnah). I've never seen two people who resemble each other so closely," she had added.
A staunchly independent daughter, Wadia who stayed behind in Mumbai during partition and visited Pakistan only twice, encompassed troublesome contradictions that stalked her father, personally and culturally. There was no official comment in India on her death although her son Nusli Wadia is a close friend of the Nehru-Gandhi family.
Preity also told Times of India that Dina took an avid interest in Preity's life: "The last time we met, she wanted to know all about the IPL matches. She's so important to our times as a woman and a figure in history and yet conveys so much joie de vivre in her attitude. I just want to sit with her and listen to her."
