Summary
- Gilani spoke about things that are lost without ever truly dying, like a feeling or a connection with someone who is still alive but no longer part of your life.
- She gave the example of an aunt she lost touch with after a family separation, saying she still thinks of her often and wonders whether she watches her dramas, even though she has chosen not to reach out out of respect for a family decision.
- Gilani also reflected on her father’s death twelve years ago, saying she still does not feel like the same person she was even a year ago.
Losing someone you love can change you in ways that never fully go away. That is the thread running through a recent and deeply reflective conversation between actors Sarwat Gilani, Omair Rana and Naveen Naqvi, who came together on a morning show to talk openly about death, mourning and the different ways people learn to carry it.
Gilani began by recalling her father in law’s passing, describing how her mother in law appeared completely numb in the days that followed, even as life around her continued in small, ordinary ways. She said moments like family gathering over tea the next day taught her that grief eventually has to make room for moving forward. She also remembered her husband speaking at the graveyard about his father being in a good place, waiting for them, a thought she said has shaped how she understands loss since.
Rana shared a different family tradition shaped by humour. He explained that his mother’s side of the family approaches loss in a traditional way, while his father’s side leans on comedy as a coping mechanism. He recalled realising as a child that there was something cathartic about laughter during grief, even when it left others around them confused. He also spoke about a trip to Mexico City during Day of the Dead celebrations, comparing the atmosphere to Eid and describing how the occasion dedicates separate days to different groups, including pets, elders, newborns and siblings, each marked with their favourite foods. For Rana, keeping verbal history alive is one of the most meaningful ways to keep remembering someone.
Naqvi spoke about how her faith shapes her relationship with death, saying it allows her family to embrace it rather than fear it, with the belief that something better lies ahead. She also described a family tradition where aunts gather with the children to pass down stories of relatives who have come and gone, something she said has turned everyone in her family into a natural storyteller.
The conversation also turned to a quieter, less visible kind of loss. Gilani spoke about things that are lost without ever truly dying, like a feeling or a connection with someone who is still alive but no longer part of your life. She gave the example of an aunt she lost touch with after a family separation, saying she still thinks of her often and wonders whether she watches her dramas, even though she has chosen not to reach out out of respect for a family decision.
Gilani also reflected on her father’s death twelve years ago, saying she still does not feel like the same person she was even a year ago. She described a part of herself as permanently gone, something intangible she only notices when she looks inward.
Rana closed the conversation with a simple reminder for viewers, urging them to value the time they have with their loved ones, since life carries little meaning without it.
