Mumbai, Aug 2 (NationPress) Randeep Hooda expressed his deep sorrow in a touching tribute to his cherished horse Ranji, who sadly passed away this week at the age of 23. The actor and filmmaker reminisced about how this magnificent horse helped him soar over numerous challenges and earned him several accolades.

He began his tribute by quoting lines from the song "Seasons in the Sun", originally penned by Jacques Brel and famously covered by Terry Jacks in 1974, in the caption of his Instagram post.

In his emotional note, Randeep shared the remarkable journey of Ranji. Initially rejected by the army due to his small stature and an unsuccessful eye operation, he narrowly avoided a life of pulling tangas.

The actor wrote: “Born in 2002, sired by Gaylord (GY) in an army depot, he was turned away by the army for his size and to conceal a botched eye worm operation. This one-eyed little horse was auctioned off and acquired by a tanga wala.”

“A timely call from Colonel Dahiya to Colonel Ahlawat about the potential being wasted pulling tangas saved him from that fate. Despite his reluctance to part with this wonder baby, the Colonel had to manage EMIs, and thus, he came into my life through sheer destiny, enriching it immensely.”

Explaining the significance of the name Ranji, Randeep shared: “I named him Ranji because of his one eye, reminiscent of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Gaekwar (the Ranji Trophy is named in his honor). Thanks to his free upbringing by the Colonel, he grew to be a spirited and mischievous companion.”

“He was known to escape from all kinds of stables we placed him in. With his youthful exuberance, there was never a dull moment in his presence. He always yearned to run free, and he did just that.”

The actor added: “He took me flying over numerous hurdles, sometimes with my eyes closed in fear, and helped me win many medals. His abilities far surpassed my riding skills at that time, yet he carried me gracefully.”

Unfortunately, Randeep revealed that Ranji developed laminitis during his prime years.

“This disease often leads to euthanasia for most horses. I chose to give him some time, and thanks to Dr. Pheroz Khambatta, he made a remarkable recovery and was jumping again. It was a rare case indeed.”

“Complications arose over time, and the dreadful thought of putting him down surfaced. I maintained, 'Let's give him some time.' He consistently bounced back like a resilient little tennis ball, thanks to his devoted caretakers over the years: Khem Singh, the various Bhoom Singhs, Revat Singh, Megh Singh, and Sumer Singh.”

Randeep concluded: “He finally passed into the next realm at 23 years, equivalent to the 90s in horse years. Heartbroken and hesitant to keep horses anymore, I bid farewell to my dear, trusted friend, my Ranji. We simply ran out of time, brother.”