Popular Bollywood actress, Nimrat Kaur recently opened up on her past, sharing how the unexpected and tragic passing of her father, Major Bhupender Singh, altered her life and shaped her into the woman she is today. In a deeply emotional revelation, the Lunchbox actress talked about the unimaginable void that she gradually felt in her life after losing her father in the hands of terrorists while serving the nation.

Nimrat Kaur recalls the life-altering moment after losing her father

Nimrat Kaur’s father, Major Bhupender Singh, was posted in Kashmir in January 1994 when a group of terrorists murdered him at only 44 years old, after he refused to release some arrested terrorists. Nimrat, the older daughter in the house, was only 11 years old at that time, but after losing her father, she gradually came to terms with the gravity of the situation. 

Nimrat’s mother, only in her mid-thirties at the time, was suddenly widowed, and Nimrat, then a child, found herself stepping into the role of emotional anchor for her family. In a deeply emotional and raw interview with Zoom, Nimrat shared:

“My mother went through her own cycle of ups and downs and carried such deep sadness within her… I was just trying to be there for her in my own way, thinking I needed to be normal, to be strong… And then, sometimes, you don’t want to be strong—you just want to be a child, to make mistakes like any kid would. A lot of those liberties were taken away. I had to grow up really fast.”

Nimrat grew up in Delhi, continuing her education through school and college, but the trauma cast a long shadow over her formative years. At 11 years of age, Nimrat found it difficult to grasp the gravity of the reality, and for a while, it was all about surviving the chaos rather than lamenting the loss of the family’s captain. Recalling how she felt compelled to step up and help her lamenting mother after losing her father, the Airlift actress shared:

“I lost my father to terrorism when I was 11. It was a strange and violent way to lose a parent, and from that moment, everything changed… the reality of what had happened didn’t hit me right away. I think it sinks in much later.”

Nimrat Kaur on gradually realising her father’s absence

It was only a year after her father’s tragic death that Nimrat Kaur truly grasped the weight of growing up without him. Her father, Major Bhupender Singh, was not only a decorated officer in the Indian Army but also a remarkable human being who rose from humble beginnings. More than his professional achievements, it was his unwavering belief in his daughters that set him apart. Talking about realising his absence from her life, Nimrat shared:

“I realised only a year later what it meant to grow up without him—the first man in your life, your father. He was a shining example of a human being… He was an exceptional father, so proud of his daughters. In a society that often values sons over daughters, he stood apart. When I was born in Pilani, someone said to him, ‘Oh, you had a daughter,’ and he replied, ‘That’s exactly why I’m celebrating—because I had a daughter.’ The wings he gave me during those 11 years formed the foundation of who I am today.”

What do you think about Nimrat Kaur’s revelations about growing up fast after losing her father?

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