Choreographer-filmmaker Farah Khan Kunder has paid tribute to her late mother Menaka Irani in an emotional note on social media, recalling her remarkable ability to remain untainted by bitterness despite the challenges thrown at her by life.

Menaka passed away on July 26 in Mumbai at the age of 79.

“My mum was a very unique person. She never wanted the limelight or any fuss around her. Despite the hard knocks she faced in her early life, she was a rare one who had no bitterness or envy towards anyone,” wrote Farah in her Instagram note on Monday.

“Everyone who met her loved her and realised where we get our sense of humour from. Well, hardly, she was far wittier and funnier than both Sajid and I put together,” she added, sharing a set of throwback pictures including a childhood picture of Farah and one from her haldi ceremony in 2004.

The Main Hoon Na director shared that the outpouring of love and condolences following her mother’s passing has been profound, with friends, family, colleagues and household staff expressing their gratitude.

“People who worked in our house came saying how my mum had helped them with loans or sent them money never expecting it back. Thank you to all who came home to be with us in our grief, to all who messaged and are still messaging. To all her doctors and nurses at Nanavati Hospital who tried their best every day. And to our consulting doctors from Chandigarh PGI and Belle Vue Hospital. We are grateful you gave us some more days with her,” Farah wrote, adding that it was time for her to resume work because her mother was always so proud of it.

Despite the profound sense of loss, Farah expressed a wish to celebrate her mother's memory daily rather than dwell on mourning. “I don’t want to miss her because she’s always a part of me. I am grateful to the universe for letting her be my mother and allowing us to look after her the way she single-handedly looked after us all her life. No more mourning now. I want to celebrate her every day. Thank you, everyone,” she signed off, mentioning that the background song, Crying in the Rain, was by Don Williams, her mother’s favourite country singer.

On the work front, Farah recently directed the music video for Diljit Dosanjh and Badshah’s track Naina from Crew starring Kareena Kapoor Khan, Kriti Sanon and Tabu.