Riteish Deshmukh commemorated the 13th death anniversary of his father, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh with a heartfelt tribute on Thursday. The actor added a string of pictures on Instagram,
featuring his sons Riaan and Rahyl, as they honour their “Ajoba.” In the first two photos, Rihaan and Rahul are seen bowing down in front of a framed photograph of their grandfather.
And the final slide showcased a black-and-white portrait of Vilasrao Deshmukh. In the caption of his post, Riteishwrote, “We love you Ajoba!! Vilasrao Deshmukh Smriti Din.”
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The touching post drew reactions from Riteish’s friends from the film industry. While Suniel Shetty dropped a red heart and evil eye emojis, Jackie Shroff added folded hands in respect.
This is not the first time Riteish has opened up about his father. Last year, during the unveiling programme of Vilasrao Deshmukh’s statue in Latur, the actor broke down on stage while recalling his father’s legacy. “It has been 12 years since my father passed away,” he said, with his voice choking.
After his elder brother and MLA Amit Deshmukh quickly comforted him, Riteish continued, “Tough twelve years have passed since Saheb left us. Occasionally, the pain surfaces. He always used to shine, and even now, he shines. This shine never fades. He stayed strong, so that we, his children, felt the need to stand tall… Today, although he is not physically present, his love for us is evident, and it burns brightly on this stage.”
Who Was Vilasrao Deshmukh
Vilasrao Deshmukh served as Maharashtra’s 14th Chief Minister for two terms, from 1999 to 2003 and again from 2004 to 2008. He later served in the Union Cabinet as the Minister of Science and Technology and Minister of Earth Sciences. In 2012, he passed away at the age of 67 due to multiple organ failure.
Riteish Deshmukh’s Film Career
As for Riteish, the actor is keeping busy with back-to-back films. His latest outing, Housefull 5, saw him share screen space with a massive ensemble cast including Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan, Sonam Bajwa, Sanjay Dutt and many more. The comedy drama revolves around multiple masqueraders fighting over the fortune of a billionaire aboard a luxury cruise. The actor has also just wrapped the UK schedule of Masti 4, directed by Milap Zaveri.
