Sridevi
Sridevi (born Shree Amma Yanger Ayyapan; 13 August 1963 – 24 February 2018) was an Indian actress and producer, who worked in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada films. Regarded as the "First female Superstar" and "Megastar" of Indian cinema, she was the recipient of various accolades, including a National Film Award, a Nandi Award, the Tamil Nadu State Film Award, the Kerala State Film Award, three Filmfare Awards and three Filmfare Awards South. In 2013, the Government of India awarded her with Padma Shri, the country's fourth-highest civilian honor. In a career that spanned five decades, she was known for her portrayals of women in challenging situations, and appeared in a range of genres, from slapstick comedy to epic dramas. Sridevi ranked as the highest paid woman in the Indian entertainment industry during 1980s and 1990s and is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential actresses in the history of Indian cinema.
Sridevi made her debut as child artist with the 1967 Tamil film Kandhan Karunai at the age of 4, and started her acting career in lead role as a child with M. A. Thirumugam’s 1969 mythological Tamil film Thunaivan. She continued to act as a child artist in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada films and made her Hindi film debut at age 9 with Rani Mera Naam (1972). Her first adult role came at age 13 with the Tamil film Moondru Mudichu (1976) and she established herself as one of the leading actresses of South Indian Cinema, with roles in 16 Vayathinile (1977), Thulavarsham (1976), Angeekaram (1977), Sigappu Rojakkal (1978), Padaharella Vayasu (1978), Vetagadu (1979), Varumayin Niram Sivappu (1980), Meendum Kokila (1981), Premabhishekam (1981), Moondram Pirai (1982), Aakhari Poratam (1988), Jagadeka Veerudu Atiloka Sundari (1990) and Kshana Kshanam (1991).
Following a notable appearance in romantic drama Julie (1975), Sridevi's first starring role in Hindi cinema came with the 1979 drama film Solva Sawan, and she received wider recognition with the 1983 film Himmatwala. She established herself in the industry with a string of successful films, including Mawaali (1983), Justice Chaudhry (1983), Tohfa (1984), Naya Kadam (1984), Maqsad (1984), Masterji (1985), Karma (1986), Nazrana (1987), Mr. India (1987), Waqt Ki Awaz (1988) and Chandni (1989). She received praise for her performances in films, including Sadma (1983), Nagina (1986), ChaalBaaz (1989), Lamhe (1991), Khuda Gawah (1992), Gumrah (1993), Laadla (1994), and Judaai (1997). Following the role of the titular protagonist in the television sitcom Malini Iyer (2004–2005), Sridevi returned to film acting in 2012 with the successful comedy-drama English Vinglish, and then starred in her 300th film role in the 2017 thriller Mom. She earned critical acclaim for her performances in both films, and for the latter was posthumously awarded the National Film Award for Best Actress.
Honorary awards were also conferred on her by the state governments of Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. Sridevi was voted 'India's Greatest Actress in 100 Years' in a CNN-IBN national poll conducted in 2013 on the occasion of the centenary of Indian cinema. On 24 February 2018, Sridevi was found dead in her guest room at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The official coroner's report showed that she had accidentally drowned in the bathtub, with unconsciousness cited as a contributing factor. News of her death featured prominently in Indian and international media. In a highly exceptional gesture, inspite of not doing a single Hollywood film, Sridevi was accorded the highest tribute in 2018 In Memoriam section during the 90th Academy Awards ceremony. She was married to film producer Boney Kapoor, with whom she had two children including actress Janhvi Kapoor.
In 1976, Sridevi landed her first leading role in the Tamil film Moondru Mudichu directed by K. Balachander. She followed it with a number of films with Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth. Sridevi's first release of 1977 was Gayathri, followed by Kavikkuyil and 16 Vayathinile, where she played the role of a young girl who is caught between her two lovers. She also starred in the movie's Telugu remake Padaharella Vayasu in 1978. Her subsequent notable films included Bharathi Raja's Sigappu Rojakkal, S. P. Muthuraman's Priya, Karthika Deepam, Johnny, Varumayin Niram Sivappu and Aakali Rajyam She acted with N. T. Rama Rao in Vetagadu, Sardar Papa Rayudu, Bobbili Puli, Justice Chowdhary and Aatagadu. She acted alongside Sivaji Ganesan in Sandhippu, Kavari Maan and the Sri Lanka-filmed coproduction Pilot Premnath.
Sridevi debuted as child artist in Kannada with Bhakta Kumbara (1974) directed by Hunsur Krishnamurthy. Her other films as a child artist in Kannada included Bala Bharatam and Yashoda Krishna. She was also a part of Hennu Samsarada Kannu (1975), directed by A.V. Sheshagiri Rao. Sridevi also acted as lead opposite Ambarish in Priya (1978), produced by S. P. Muthurraman. She entered Malayalam films as child actor with Kumara Sambhavam in 1969,[44] followed by I. V. Sasi's Abhinandanam. Her notable Malayalam films as the lead heroine were Thulavarsham, directed by N. Sankaran Nair in 1976, and M. Masthan's Kuttavum Shikshayum, a remake of the Tamil film Pennai Nambungal with Kamal Haasan starring opposite her.
She next appeared in the Malayalam releases like Aa Nimisham, Angeekaram and Satyavan Savithri. In 1981, she starred in the Tamil film Meendum Kokila which won her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil. In 1982, Sridevi starred in Moondram Pirai playing a woman suffering from retrograde amnesia and went on to win the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress. She was paired with Kamal Haasan in 27 films across languages.
Sridevi's notable films in her mother tongue Telugu include Konda Veeti Simham, Kshana Kshanam, Vetagadu, Sardar Paparayudu and Bobbili Puli. With A. Nageswara Rao, she appeared in movies such as Muddula Koduku, Premabhishekham, Bangaru Kanuka and Premakanuka as well as with Krishna in Kanchu Kagada, Kalavari Samsaram, Adavi Simhalu, Krishnavatharam, Burripalem Bolludu, Vajrayudham, Gharana Donga, Kirayi Kotigadu, Pachani Kapuram, Makutam Leni Maharaju, Ramarajyamlo Bheemaraju, Jayam manade, Samajaniki sawal, Mama allulla sawal, Ram-Robert-Rahim and Khaidi Rudrayya. She acted with Chiranjeevi in Jagadeka Veerudu Atiloka Sundari, S. P. Parasuram. Her performance in the 1992 Ram Gopal Varma directed Kshana Kshanam opposite Venkatesh, won her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu and Andhra's Nandi Award for Best Actress. . She acted in Highest number of Telugu movies with Super Star Krishna.
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