Bollywood superstar Sridevi Kapoor has died of a heart attack, her family says. She was 54.
The actress known simply as Sridevi passed away in Dubai, where she was attending a family wedding.
From the age of four, she had worked in films in the Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi languages.
She was considered one of the very few Indian female superstars capable of huge box office success without the support of a male hero.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that he was “saddened by the untimely demise of noted actor Sridevi”, while Indian President Ram Nath Kovind wrote that he was “shocked to hear of passing of movie star Sridevi”.
Saddened by the untimely demise of noted actor Sridevi. 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: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) February 25, 2018
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, paid tribute to the late star, writing on Twitter: “Really enjoyed meeting Bollywood icon Sri Devi on my recent trip to India.
“So sad to hear the news of the death of such a terrifically talented actress, performer and producer.”
Really enjoyed meeting Bollywood icon Sri Devi on my recent trip to India. So sad to hear the news of the death of such a terrifically talented actress, performer and producer. #SriDevi pic.twitter.com/5wDvH8xUwD
— Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) February 24, 2018
How did she die?
The actress was in the United Arab Emirates to attend the wedding of her nephew, Mohit Marwah.
Sridevi’s husband Boney Kapoor and daughter Khushi were with her when she passed away on Saturday, reports say.
Her brother-in-law Sanjay Kapoor said it had happened “roughly around” 23:00-23:30 (19:00-19:30 GMT), indianexpress.com reports.
He did not provide any further details.
Why was she such a huge box office draw?
She debuted as a lead actress in a Bollywood film in 1978, soon becoming one of India’s biggest film stars.
Over five decades, she starred in more than 150 films, including such Bollywood classics as Mr India, Chandni, ChaalBaaz and Sadma.
The versatile actress decided to take a break from the film industry after the release of Judaai in 1997.
She made a comeback in 2012, starring in English Vinglish.
In 2013, the Indian government awarded her the Padma Shri – the fourth highest civilian honour.
How are fans reacting?
Social media sites are being flooded with condolences, with many users expressing shock that the actress died still relatively young.
Source: BBC