Yesteryear’s veteran actress Achala Sachdev, who is known for her role as Balraj Sahni's wife in the 1965 blockbuster ‘Waqt’ and appearance in iconic song ‘Ae Meri Zohra Jabeen’ from the same movie, passed away following a prolonged illness. She was 88.

“She passed away due to respiratory failure at 5.30pm yesterday. She was bed-ridden for about six months after she suffered a cerebrovascular (brain attack),” said Sachdev's physician Vinod Shah.

Six months ago the actress broke her leg after she fell from stairs. Sachdev was immediately tended to but four days later she suffered a brain infarction in which she lost her vision and movements of upper and lower limbs.

Since then the actress was undergoing treatment in Poona Hospital and Research Centre in Pune, where she has been living for years now.

The actress, who made her debut in 1938 with ‘Fashionable Wife’, went on to feature in movies like ‘Prem Pujari’, ‘Hare Ram Hare Krishna’, ‘Andaz’ and ‘Mera Naam Joker’.

Recently, the actress played the role of Kajol’s grandmother in ‘Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge’ and Amitabh Bachchan’s mother in ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham’.

She was last seen in ‘Na Tum Jaano Na Hum’, which starred Hrithik Roshan and Esha Deol.

She is survived by son Jytoin, who is in the US and would be going to Pune for the last rites on Tuesday in Pune.