All you need to know about Sunil Malhotra, Sidharth Malhotra’s father who served as Merchant Navy captain

Bollywood actor Sidharth Malhotra is in a state of mourning, as his father, Sunil Malhotra, passed away on February 14, after a prolonged illness. The actor announced the news to his fans on Tuesday evening, taking the opportunity to play a heartfelt tribute to the man he called his "first hero and silent guide."

Who was Sunil Malhotra?

Sunil, a former merchant navy captain, was respected as a man of quiet strength and unshakable integrity. In a social media post, filled with family photos, Sidharth remembered him as a man of "rare honesty, integrity and culture."

Looking back at his father’s life, Sunil remembered him as a man who lived his life with a code of discipline that was never tough and a strength that was completely ego-free. Sunil Malhotra’s strength was such that even after a stroke left him wheelchair bound, his stature remained strong and upright. Sunil is said to have passed away peacefully in his sleep in Delhi, where his last rites were performed on Tuesday.

Emotional struggles

The news comes a year after Sidharth had spoken about the emotional struggle he was facing because of his father's health issues. In an interview with Youtuber Lily Singh, he confessed to having a sense of shame about his past actions. He remembered an incident where he had been quiet tough on his mother, Rimma, over a trivial matter of dosage of medicines.

The actor then revealed that it was only later that he had understood the huge responsibility Rimma had been shouldering as the main caregiver in Delhi while he was furthering his career in Mumbai. He said that he is deeply grateful for all that she has done for him and their family, protecting all of them from the true extent of Sunil’s struggles.

Moving forward

For Sidharth, his father’s legacy is not just a memory but the template for his life. "Papa, your integrity is my inheritance," he wrote, adding that Sunil’s positivity continues to hold the family together. As he navigates this personal tragedy, the actor has vowed to carry forward the light and values his father instilled in him.

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