Legendary Bollywood star Sridevi Kapoor passed away today at the age of 54. Sridevi is regarded as India’s first female “superstar,” starring in numerous films and taking home multiple awards for her work. And by the way, judging by her photos, she remained tremedously beautiful well into her ’50s (and up until her untimely death).
Sridevi’s birth name is Shree Amma Yanger Ayyapan. She was born on August 13, 1963, in the city of Sivakasi, India. At a very young, she was already appearing in films such as Thunaivan (1969) and Penn Deivam (1970). In 1975, she made her Bollywood film debut as a young artist in the hit film Julie. In 1978, she made her debut as a lead actress in the film Solva Sawan, playing a smart 16-year-old girl with ambitions to become a teacher.
Quickly, Sridevi established herself as one of the top leading actresses of Tamil and Telugu cinema, securing prominent roles in films such as 16 Vayathinile (1977), Sigappu Rojakkal (1978), Varumayin Niram Sivappu (1980), Kshana Kshanam (1991), and many more.
Throughout her long and illustrious career, Sridevi has earned herself a litany of acting awards. She has taken home six Filmfare Awards, including four prizes for Best Actress. She was also named NDTV Entertainer of the Year and voted #1 as the best and finest Bollywood actress of 2012. Other awards includes a 1990 Smita Patil Memorial Award for Contribution to Indian Cinema, a 2003 MAMI Award in Contribution to Indian Cinema, and so much more.
She most recently appeared in the 2017 film Mom, which was a critical and commercial success. She’ll make her final film appearance in the upcoming 2018 romantic black comedy Zero.
This iconic Indian film star has also left her mark on the fashion industry. In 2008, she transitioned into the world of fashion, modeling clothes for designers such as Priya and Chintan at the Lakme Fashion Week. She’s also appeared on the cover of Marie Claire, L’Officiel, and Vogue.
Sridevi Kapoor died on Saturday, February 24, 2018. Rest in peace, Sridevi.