“Biju Narayanan and Sreelatha’s love story was the most famous one in Maharaja’s,” recalls actor Tini Tom. The trio had studied at the renowned Maharaja’s College around the same time. Noted playback singer Biju Narayanan’s wife Sreelatha passed away on Tuesday morning after battling cancer for some time.
Tini added that he is gravely saddened by the news of Sreelatha’s demise.
The actor also recalled their college days when Biju, a young singer, was the star of the campus. “They met each other when they were studying for pre-degree. Biju had won lots of prizes in the university youth festivals. Biju had lots of female admirers during that time. But he was in love with Sreelatha. It was Biju’s music which brought them together,” says Tini.
Tini revealed that the entire campus knew about Biju and Sreelatha’s relationship as the singer had contested in campus elections. “I had often been a message bearer between the couple. Biju and Sreelatha would have small fights and the responsibility to pacify and bring them back together often fell on me. We still continue the friendship from that day,” notes Tini.
Both Biju and Sreelatha’s families didn’t oppose their union and happily gave their blessings for the marriage. Biju, Sreelatha and Tini cherished their special friendship even after the trio left the college.
“A few of us still maintain the friendship just like we did in those days. We get together, with families, during festivals or special occasions. It was Biju and Sreelatha who had stood with me more than my own relatives. So, we are intimately connected to that family. Biju’s son and my son are classmates. We wished for our friendship to continue through our kids as well. That has happened just like we had wished,” says the actor.
Tini Tom reveals it was quite unexpectedly that Sreelatha was diagnosed with the cancer. He says, “Sreelatha just had a cough and didn’t exhibit any other symptoms. But, the tests revealed that cancer was in the final stages. I too was there when she was hospitalized. I was there to shoot for a movie and had visited her at the hospital during the breaks. I sat near her for some time. But I couldn’t watch her suffer pain for so long,” recalled Tini.