Established 1961 15 Lifestyle Features Tuesday, February 27, 2018 Bollywood superstar Sridevi dies aged 54 Billions mourn death of Sridevi eartbroken fans yesterday awaited the arrival of the body of Bollywood superstar Sridevi Kapoor as trib- Hutes poured in for the actress who died in Dubai of a heart attack aged just 54. Hundreds gathered outside her Mumbai home hoping to catch a final glimpse of the star before she is cremated at a funeral service expected later yesterday. Sridevi-one of the biggest names in Hindi cinema-died late on Saturday after suffering a cardiac arrest in Dubai, where she had been attending her nephew’s wedding. Her body was due to be flown back to Mumbai yesterday on a charter flight after authorities in the emirate allowed it to be released following a post mortem. “We want to see her one last time,” 48-year-old Laxmi Subbaramaiah told AFP out- This file photo taken on December 10, This file photo taken on December 1, 2012 shows (L to R) French actress Catherine This file photo taken on July 6, 2013 shows Indian Bollywood side Sridevi’s house in the Andheri area of Mumbai-the 2017 shows Indian Bollywood actress Deneuve, Indian actor Amitabh Bachchan and actress Sridevi Kapoor posing during actress Sridevi Kapoor performing at the 14th International heartland of the Bollywood film industry. Sridevi Kapoor posing during a promo- the tribute to Hindi cinema at the 12th Marrakech International Film Festival in Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards ceremony at the Venetian tional event in Mumbai. — AFP photos Marrakech. hotel in Macau.

ollywood superstar Sridevi Kapoor, one of the watching Sridevi’s movies: “She was so colorful and bold “A dream for many, had the good fortune of sharing biggest names in Hindi cinema, has died aged 54 and I was always impressed by her character. I am very screen space with her long ago and witnessed her con- Bafter suffering a heart attack in Dubai, her former shocked by the news.” tinued grace over the years,” Kumar tweeted. Madhuri manager said Sunday. The death of Sridevi, reportedly Dixit, whose fame rivaled Sridevi’s, said the world “has while attending her nephew’s wedding in the emirate late ‘Continued grace’ lost a very talented person who left behind a huge legacy Saturday, prompted an outpouring of grief from fans and In an interview with The New Indian Express in 2013, in film”. Prime Minister Modi said he was saddened by fellow actors as well as condolences from Prime Minister Sridevi spoke of missing out on a carefree childhood the news. “She was a veteran of the film industry, whose Narendra Modi. “I have no words. Condolences to every- when she began working as an actor. “I lost out on going long career included diverse roles and memorable per- one who loved Sridevi. A dark day. RIP,” tweeted actress to school and college life but I got into the film industry formances,” Modi tweeted. “My thoughts are with her Priyanka Chopra. and worked without a gap-from child actor I went family and admirers in this hour of grief.” Film critic straight to heroine. There was no time to think and I was Rajeev Masand said Sridevi “would be missed”, noting grateful for it,” she said. “In order to get something you the star’s shy and introverted off-camera personality. have to lose something. You can’t have everything in life. “Never known anyone who was so painfully shy, so quiet So I am happy with what I got.” off screen, who just transformed into a force of nature Sridevi appeared in Sridevi was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth when cameras came on,” Masand tweeted. “She was an highest civilian award, for her services to the film indus- interviewer’s nightmare, but the movie-buff’s dream... around 300 films try. She was especially admired for her ability to over- Thank you for the movies.” Sridevi is survived by her come language barriers and work in different regional husband, film producer Boney Kapoor, and their two film industries. Sridevi appeared in around 300 films and daughters. — AFP A picture of Bollywood actress Sridevi Kapoor is put up out- was set to see her older daughter Jhanvi make her side her residence in Mumbai. Sridevi, born Shree Amma Yanger Ayappan in the Bollywood debut. Leading Bollywood actor Akshay southern state of Tamil Nadu, made her acting debut at Kumar expressed shock at her “untimely demise”. “All of my family members are big fans and we cried the age of four and her career spanned more than four when we heard the news. We will wait here until her body decades. She worked in India’s regional Tamil, Telugu and comes back,” he said. Vishal More, 23, said he had travelled Malayalam-language films before making her Bollywood seven hours from Jalgaon district, around 400 kilometres debut in 1979. “It is shocking and sad,” her former man- away from Mumbai, to bid farewell to his favorite ager Punkej Kharbanda told AFP. Her husband was with actress.”I’ve been waiting all morning to catch a last her at her death, he said. glimpse of Sridevi. I have watched all of her movies. She is Sridevi made a name for herself with a string of block- such an inspiration,” he said. Sridevi’s death has prompted buster films including “Chandni”, “Mr India”, “Mawali” an outpouring of grief in India from fans and fellow actors (“Scoundrel”) and “Tohfa” (“Gift”). Her first smash hit as well as condolences from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. was the 1982 Tamil film “Moondram Pirai” and she played the same role in its Hindi remake, “Sadma” (“Trauma”). Bollywood shock Her portrayal of a woman suffering from amnesia has “I have always been a huge fan of her work. Equally I been described by many critics as a milestone. Kamal have been an admirer of the grace and dignity with which Haasan, her co-star in “Sadma”, paid tribute on Twitter. she conducted herself,” actor Aamir Khan wrote on “Have witnessed Sridevi’s life from an adolescent teenag- Twitter. “I join all the millions of her fans in mourning her er to the magnificent lady she became. Her stardom was demise. Ma’am we will always remember you with love well deserved,” Haasan tweeted. and respect,” he added. Fellow actor Ranveer Singh “Many happy moments with her flash through my tweeted that he was “shocked and saddened to hear mind including the last time I met her. Sadma’s lullaby about the untimely demise of one of Hindi cinema’s great- haunts me now. We’ll miss her,” he added. Local police est superstars”. made arrangements to handle the swelling crowds gath- Actress Alia Bhatt posted on Twitter: “Nothing makes ered outside Sridevi’s home in Mumbai’s Lokhandwala sense. I have no words.. just completely shocked. RIP Sri neighborhood. Many were expected to wait till the family Devi. My icon forever. Love you.” Sridevi, born Shree returns to Mumbai late Sunday evening with the body, for Amma Yanger Ayappan in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, a cremation likely to be held on Monday. appeared in around 300 films and was awarded the Padma “I came rushing here after reading news pertaining to Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian award, for services to the Sridevi’s death. She was our female Amitabh Bachchan movie industry. She made her acting debut at the age of (one of the biggest Bollywood stars) and I have watched four and her career spanned more than four decades. all her movies,” Vimal Khandakade told AFP. “I have Sridevi worked in India’s regional Tamil, Telugu and always been a big fan and loved her performances... I will Malayalam-language films before making her Bollywood wait till her body is brought back and want to bid her This file photo taken on April 5, 2013 shows then-Indian President Pranab Mukherjee (R) presenting the Padma Shree award to debut in 1979. She became a national icon with a string of farewell.” Shoumik Mahapatra, 16, said he had grown up Indian film actress Sridevi (L) during the presentation of the “Padma Awards 2013” at the Presidential Palace in New Delhi. blockbuster films including “Chandni”, “Mr India”, “Mawali” (“Scoundrel”) and “Tohfa” (“Gift”). —AFP

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