On Feb. 24, 2018, beloved and iconic Bollywood actress Sridevi Kapoor passed away from complications after suffering a heart attack. The 54-year-old film veteran was at a family wedding in Dubai when she went into cardiac arrest. Sridevi’s name is one that’s known and revered throughout India, specifically for the 300 film roles she’s starred in. As a celebrated actress, her passing even caught the attention of Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, who offered his sympathy to her family and those that knew her best.
Sridevi started her career in 1969 as a child artist. At only four years old, she debuted in M.A. Thirumugham’s Thunaivan under her birth name, Shree Amma Yanger Ayyapan. As her career as an actress started to gain success, she changed her name to Sridevi. During the 1980s and 1990s, she frequently worked alongside Anil Kapoor and Kamal Hassan and, by the early '90s, had earned the attention of prolific filmmakers like Hollywood director Steven Spielberg. While filming Jurassic Park, Spielberg allegedly approached Sridevi for a role, but the Bollywood actress turned it down as she deemed it wasn’t a large enough part.
In 2017, she starred in the critically acclaimed Indian thriller, Mom, for which she was awarded Filmfare’s Best Actress Award and Zee Cine’s Best Actress Award. She also received recognition for her roles in English Vinglish, Laadla, Judaai, Kshana Kshanam, Sadma and Chandni.
Over the course of her filmography, Sridevi became one of India’s most awarded actresses, having earned praise from the Zee Cine Awards and the Filmfare Awards along with the Stardust Awards, NDTV Indian of the Year, and the Starviews Film Awards. In 2012, she was voted the “Most Admired Bollywood Actress” by mobile research company, Vuclip and was ranked number 1 as the best Bollywood Actress of 2012 by CNN IBN.
At the time of her death, Sridevi’s net worth, when combined with her successful husband, film producer Boney Kapoor, was an estimated $35 million. Her final film, Mom, released in July 2017 to a box office of approximately $9.8 million.
Sridevi is survived by Boney and her daughters, Jhanvi and Khushi.
