Bollywood superstar Sridevi dies at 54 of cardiac arrest

Bollywood actress Sridevi, whose acting prowess and beguiling eyes helped her rule Bollywood in 1980s, died of cardiac arrest in Dubai at the age of 54 plunging the Indian cinema industry into mourning.

Sridevi who had gone to Dubai along with her family to attend the wedding of her nephew a few days ago, passed away late on Saturday night after a cardiac arrest, confirmed her brother-in-law Sanjay Kapoor, according to our New Delhi correspondent.

"Yes, it is true that Sridevi passed away. It happened roughly around 11.00-11.30. I don't know more details yet," he was quoted as saying by our New Delhi correspondent.  

Sridevi was reportedly with her husband Boney Kapoor and daughter Khushi at the time of death. Her other daughter and actress Jahnvi was not there as she stayed back in India for shooting.

Before Sridevi appeared in Bollywood, Sridevi was known in South Indian films. Having made her debut in Tamil films as a child artiste with "Thunaivan" in 1969, she, as an adult, began her acting stint in Tamil cinema in late 1970s. She also worked in Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada language films.

Sridevi, whose career spanned more than four decades, made her debut in Hindi cinema in 1978 with 'Solva Sawan'. But it was only after five years that she gained commercial success of the movie "Himmatwala" also starting Jitendra. Soon, she became one of the most sought-after artistes in the Hindi film industry.

Films like "Mawaali" (1983), "Tohfa" (1984), "Mr India" (1987) and "Chandni" (1989) ensured Sridevi remained at the top in terms of box-office success, her acting in movies like "Sadma" (1983), "ChaalBaaz" (1989), "Lamhe" (1991), and "Gumrah" (1993) earned her critical acclaim.

Thereafter, she went into a 15-year break after starring in home production -- "Judaai" -- co-starring her brother-in-law Anil Kapoor and Urmila Matondkar. But it was director Gauri Shinde's "English Vinglish" in 2012 that marked Sridevi's comeback to cinema.

Sridevi's nuanced performance as a middle-class woman learning to speak English to feel accepted by her family won critical acclaim.

Last year, she was seen in revenge-drama  "Mom" opposite Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Akshaye Khanna. She also shot for a special appearance in superstar Shah Rukh Khan's upcoming film "Zero".

Indian President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bollywood condoled the demise of Sridevi and recalled the diverse roles she played in her long career.

Kovind said "Shocked to hear of passing of movie star Sridevi. She has left millions of fans heartbroken. Her performances in films such as Moondram Pirai, Lamhe and English Vinglish remain an inspiration for other actors. My condolences to her family and close associates."

Naidu tweeted: "Felt very sad over the sudden demise of popular actress Sridevi. She was an extremely versatile and talented film star, who had acted in Teulgu, Hindi and other South Indian languages," Naidu tweeted.

Modi said he was saddened by her untimely demise. "She was a veteran of the film industry, whose long career included diverse roles and memorable performances. My thoughts are with her family and admirers in this hour of grief. May her soul rest in peace," the PMO tweeted.

India's Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani tweeted "Sridevi - a powerhouse of acting , a long journey embellished with success comes to a sudden end."

Congress party President Rahul Gandhi said "Shocked to hear about the sudden and untimely death of one of India's favourite actress, Sridevi. Sridevi was an incredibly talented and versatile actress whose vast body of work spanned a range of genres and languages. My condolences to her family. May her soul rest in peace."

Condolences poured in from the Bollywood fraternity as well after the news of her death spread. Priyanka Chopra said "I have no words. Condolences to everyone who loved #Sridevi . A dark day. RIP"

Among other cinema world personalities to mourn Sridevi's demise are film superstars Rajinikanth, Kamal Hassan, Rishi Kapoor, Nimrat Kaur, Neha Dhupia, Katrina Kaif and Sidharth Malhotra.