Anupam Kher honours late Maggie Smith: 'Your final curtain call gets a never-ending standing ovation

Anupam Kher

Legendary British actress Dame Maggie Smith passed away yesterday, leaving the world in mourning. Known for her exceptional talent and captivating performances, Smith's death marks the end of an era in cinema and theatre. She was best recognized for her roles in iconic productions such as Downton Abbey and the Harry Potter series, where she brought unforgettable characters to life.

Anupam Kher bids emotional goodbye to dame Maggie Smith

Bollywood actor Anupam Kher took to Instagram to pay his respects to the late actress. He shared a heartfelt video slideshow celebrating her work and penned an emotional tribute. "Humans may die… but their art/performances stay alive for centuries!! Thank you #DameMaggieSmith for your art!! You will always be an inspiration to millions of actors all over the world! Your final #CurtainCall has a never-ending #StandingOvation! Adieus! अलविदा!💔💔💔 #MaggieSmith #Greatest #Actress," Kher wrote.

Anupam Kher's tribute to dame Maggie Smith, take a look:

Maggie Smith, the masterful, scene-stealing actor who won an Oscar for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969) and wowed new generation of cinegoers in the 21st century as the dowager Countess of Grantham in Downton Abbey (2010-15) and Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter franchise, died yesterday. She was 89.

Her sons, Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens, said in a statement that Smith died early Friday in a London hospital. Besides two sons, she also left behind five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary grandmother, according to the statement issued through publicist Clair Dobbs.

Smith was frequently rated the preeminent British female performer of a generation that included Vanessa Redgrave and Judi Dench, with a clutch of Academy Award nominations and a shelf full of acting trophies. She remained in demand even in her later years, despite her lament that "when you get into the granny era, you're lucky to get anything."

Smith drily summarised her later roles as "a gallery of grotesques," including Professor McGonagall. Asked why she took the role, she had replied, "Harry Potter is my pension."

Her portrayal of a dangerously charismatic Edinburgh schoolteacher in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969)won her the Academy Award for best actress, and the British Academy Film Award (BAFTA) as well.

(With inputs from agencies)