Bollywood superstar Sridevi dies at 54 of cardiac arrest

Legendary Bollywood actor Sridevi passed away in Dubai on Saturday night after a massive cardiac arrest. She was 54.

Sridevi was in Dubai for a family function. Her husband Boney Kapoor and younger daughter Khushi were with her at the time of her death, reports Times of India.

Her elder daughter Janhvi did not accompany the family due to her shooting schedule.

A versatile actor, Sridevi made her Bollywood debut in 1978 with “Solva Sawan”.

But it was only after five years with Jeetendra-starrer “Himmatwala” that she gained commercial success. Her beguiling eyes, scintillating screen presence and acting prowess soon made her one of the most sought-after artistes in the Hindi film industry.

While films like “Mawaali” (1983), “Tohfa” (1984), “Mr India” (1987) and “Chandni” (1989) kept her at the top in the box-office game, her outings like “Sadma” (1983), “ChaalBaaz” (1989), “Lamhe” (1991), and “Gumrah” (1993) earned her critical acclaim.

She went on a hiatus for 15 years after starring in home production — “Judaai” — co-starring her brother-in-law Anil Kapoor and Urmila Matondkar. It was director Gauri Shinde’s “English Vinglish” in 2012 that marked Sridevi’s comeback.

Her nuanced performance as a middle-class woman, learning to speak English to feel accepted by her family, won accolades, and the film was also a commercial success.

Last year, she was seen in revenge-drama — “Mom” — opposite Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Akshaye Khanna. She shot for a special appearance in superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s upcoming film — “Zero” — which releases in December.

But by the time she made her entry into Bollywood, the actor was a known face in South Indian films. She made her debut in Tamil films as a child artiste with “Thunaivan” in 1969. As an adult, she debuted in Tamil cinema in late 70s. She also worked in Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada films.

Source: The Daily Star