Tired of seeing her son being vilified, damned and being portrayed as the villain in Jiah Khan’s tragic suicide, Zarina Wahab has decided to take charge of Suraj Pancholi’s public image. It has been decided that the volatile Aditya Pancholi, who had a fracas with the media recently, will stay out of the picture.
The public portrait of Aditya as the protective father was found to be damaging Suraj’s case. He has decided to completely withdraw from his son in public as he has been told by well-wishers and friends that his wild past and legally-challenged image are damaging Suraj’s prospects.
Says a friend of the family, “It’s been decided that Zarinaji, and not Aditya, will accompanying Suraj to all the proceedings related to Suraj’s arrest and court hearings.”
On Monday when Suraj was taken into custody, it was mom Zarina who accompanied her son to the police station. On Tuesday morning, it was Zarina who went to court for Suraj’s hearing.
The harried mother said, “Let Jiah’s mother say what she wants to. The truth will come out. I will say one thing. I am a mother too. And the mother of a daughter. I know the pain that Jiah’s mother is going through. But I also know my son. I know what he’s capable of doing. And the behaviour that I hear being attributed to him is not like my son at all.”
On Monday afternoon the Pancholis were completely unprepared for Suraj’s arrest. The parents were advised to get anticipatory bail for their son but they brushed it off.
“Obviously we didn’t anticipate how important it was for some people to make a villain out of him. We know Suraj. And let me tell you, he is the best son any mother can hope for. If I’ve another life I’d want Suraj as my son,” Zarina declares emotionally.
Sighs the mother, “My prayers are with Jiah. I don’t think her soul would be at peace until all these controversies die down.” Meanwhile, Aditya finds it hard to deal with his son’s arrest. “He has stopped eating and he refuses to turn on the AC. ‘How can I eat and sleep properly when my son is locked up’, Aditya told a friend.”
