Mumbai, Nov 8 : Veteran actress Saira Banu has paid a heartfelt tribute to Zarine Khan, who passed away on November 7, recalling her as a woman of remarkable grace. She said what she admired most about Zarine was her quiet strength in holding her marriage together.

Saira took to Instagram, where she shared two pictures featuring Zarine Khan, wife of actor Sanjay Khan and late actress Sulakshana Pandit.

Saira captioned the images: 'Zarine was very close to me, a dear friend with whom I shared many wonderful moments. She, Appaji and I would spend such lovely hours together'It was only in later years, when health began to trouble us, that we stopped meeting as often. But the bond of affection remained untouched.'

'And you see at various occasions I was really surprise at this woman's wisdom and how intelligently'just how patiently she handled her life'she knew the art of making things look warm and pleasant even on days when life wasn't as pleasant,' she added.

Saira says she always thought there was so much to learn from Zarine Khan.

'Zarine had a remarkable grace about her house, proud, artistic, and deeply rooted in beauty. Much like Appaji and myself, she had an eye for the finest things. We often found ourselves drawn to the same embroidery, the same designs, even the same jewellery!'

The veteran actress recalled: 'I remember how Zarine and Shobha Kapoor would ask Appaji 'Humare Liye Bhi Aisa Kada Banwaiye, Jo Saira Ne Pehna Hai', 'Humare Liye Bhi Aisi Earring Banwaiye Jo Saira Ne Pehni Hai'. It's easy to put that she absolutely admired Appaji's taste.'

'What I admired most about Zarine was her quiet strength in holding her marriage together.'

Saira concluded the post by remembering the two stars.

'Abbas was a flamboyant man, full of life and colour, and she complemented him with serenity and understanding. Her perspective on life and marriage was truly exemplary. Their lasting marriage, stands on the foundation of her patience, wisdom, and the deep love that sustained them through time,' concluded Saira.

Zarine Khan passed away aged 81 after suffering from age related ailments. As per sources, Zarine Khan, who was the mother-in-law of Hrithik Roshan was suffering from age-related ailments for a while now. She breathed her last on November 7 at her residence in Mumbai.

/IANS