MUMBAI: Actress Divya Dutta worked with Rishi Kapoor in films like "Delhi-6", "Manto" and "Chalk n Duster". The news of the veteran actor's demise on Thursday left her "speechless" as she found the news "tough to digest" and got emotional as she reminisced the days she worked with him.

"I am speechless. It's tough to digest. This man was just full of life. He knew how to live life king size absolutely. Even in his last years. I just met him recently when he came back. It never looked as if he was sick. He was so happy, vibrant and spreading smiles all over," An emotional Divya with a shaky voice told IANS.

He was encouraging, she said.

"I have worked with him twice and every time he was so encouraging. He would say 'yaar! tu badhi achi actor hai tere saath aur kaam karna hai (you are a good actor I want to work with you more'. Coming from someone whom you have grown up watching, who's a legend, who I think has just... He's been my inspiration and it's too tough."

Divya, who has also worked with actor Irrfan Khan, who passed away on Wednesday, found it tough to bid goodbye to both the actors.

"Two loses in two days. Both people whom you are so fond of its tough to bid goodbyes like that," she said.

She went down the memory lane of the days when she was working on the sets of "Delhi 6" with Rishi, was hospitalised on Wednesday morning after complaining that he was not feeling well. The 67-year-old actor was admitted to Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai. Wife Neetu Kapoor was at his side.

"There was not a single dull moment with him. I loved sitting with him. He used to share such amazing anecdotes with full enthusiasm. I still remember each and every story he told... I remember we were shooting once in 'Delhi 6' and the entire night we all sang Rishi Kapoorji's songs and then we went sat with him that's for me the most cherished moment. He was just smiling.

"After that I have worked in two-three films with him. Just sitting with him was a delight. He was a delightful man."