Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Tributes pour in for beloved Bollywood actress Sridevi

Heartbroken fans awaited the arrival of the body of Bollywood superstar Sridevi Kapoor on Monday (26) as tributes 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 Monday.


Sridevi - one of the biggest names in Hindi cinema - died late on Saturday (24) 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 on Monday 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 a news source outside Sridevi's house in the Andheri area of Mumbai - the heartland of the Bollywood film industry.

"All of my family members are big fans and we cried when we heard the news. We will wait here until her body comes back," he said.

Vishal More, 23, said he had travelled seven hours from Jalgaon district, around 400 kilometres away from Mumbai, to bid farewell to his favourite actress.

"I've been waiting all morning to catch a last glimpse of Sridevi. I have watched all of her movies. She is such an inspiration," he said.

Sridevi's death has prompted an outpouring of grief in India from fans and fellow actors as well as condolences from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"I have always been a huge fan of her work. Equally I have been an admirer of the grace and dignity with which she conducted herself," actor Aamir Khan wrote on Twitter.

"I join all the millions of her fans in mourning her demise. Ma'am we will always remember you with love and respect," he added.

Fellow actor Ranveer Singh tweeted that he was "shocked and saddened to hear about the untimely demise of one of Hindi cinema's greatest superstars".

Actress Alia Bhatt posted on Twitter: "Nothing makes sense. I have no words.. just completely shocked. RIP Sri Devi. My icon forever. Love you."

Sridevi, born Shree Amma Yanger Ayappan in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, appeared in around 300 films and was awarded the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award, for services to the movie industry.

She made her acting debut at the age of four and her career spanned more than four decades.

Sridevi worked in India's regional Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam-language films before making her Bollywood debut in 1979.

She became a national icon with a string of blockbuster films including Chandni, Mr India, Mawali (Scoundrel) and Tohfa (Gift).

Sridevi famously took a 15-year-break from the silver screen after marrying film producer Boney Kapoor but returned in the 2012 hit comedy-drama "English Vinglish". Her most recent film was last year's "Mom".

She was set to see Jhanvi, the eldest of her two daughters, make her Bollywood debut.

© AFP

More For You

Streeting hails India’s global role as Labour backs bilateral relations

Wes Streeting addresses the Republic Day reception at the Guildhall in London last Tuesday (28),joined by Sir Lindsay Hoyle and Vikram Doraiswami

Streeting hails India’s global role as Labour backs bilateral relations

WES STREETING spoke of the priority prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and the Labour government attach to relations with India when he addressed a Republic Day reception at the Guildhall in London last Tuesday (28).

But the secretary of state for health and social care won over the large Indian crowd by paying an unexpected tribute to Rishi Sunak.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sri Lanka seeks to negotiate with Adani over renewable energy plants

Gautam Adani

Sri Lanka seeks to negotiate with Adani over renewable energy plants

SRI LANKA’S government started talks with India’s Adani Group to lower the cost of power from two wind power projects the group will build in the island nation’s northern province, the cabinet spokesman said last Tuesday (28).

Sri Lanka has been reviewing the group’s local projects after US authorities in November accused billionaire founder Gautam Adani and other executives of being part of a scheme to pay bribes to secure Indian power supply contracts. Adani has denied the allegations.

Keep ReadingShow less
Badenoch proposes stricter citizenship rules for all migrants

Kemi Badenoch delivers speech on January 16, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Badenoch proposes stricter citizenship rules for all migrants

CONSERVATIVE PARTY on Thursday (6) proposed a clampdown on all migrants by tightening citizenship rules and barring social benefit claimants from residency rights.

Kemi Badenoch, who took over from Rishi Sunak in November last year, outlined her first major policy agenda as Tory leader in a move seen as an attempt to win back the support of Conservative voters drawn to the far-right anti-immigrant Reform party.

Keep ReadingShow less
New body led by Sir Sajid Javid aims to amplify ‘unheard’ voices
Sajid Javid

New body led by Sir Sajid Javid aims to amplify ‘unheard’ voices

A NEW independent commission to improve cohesion would engage across all nations and regions of the UK by moving beyond Westminster-centric discussions and include more diverse voices, the director of British Future thinktank has said.

Sunder Katwala said building confidence across different groups will be a priority, as economic pressures and tensions due to Middle East conflict have polarised communities in the UK.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pakistan court gives unusual punishment to Youtuber Rajab Butt for owning lion cub

Pakistani zookeeper Mohammad Amir holds the confiscated lion cub at Lahore’s safari zoo last Tuesday (28)

Pakistan court gives unusual punishment to Youtuber Rajab Butt for owning lion cub

A PAKISTANI YouTube star who was gifted a lion cub on his wedding day avoided jail after promising a judge to upload animal rights videos for a year.

Rajab Butt has one of the largest online followings in south Asia, and his week-long nuptials in December were plastered over celebrity gossip websites.

Keep ReadingShow less