Sridevi Kapoor (born Shree Amma Yanger Ayyapan; 13 August 1963 – 24 February 2018) was an Indian actress who worked across Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam and Kannada cinema over a career spanning nearly five decades. Widely regarded as one of the foremost female stars of Indian cinema, she was the recipient of a National Film Award and several Filmfare Awards. The Government of India honoured her with the Padma Shri in 2013 for her contribution to the arts.
Key Facts
| Born | 13 August 1963, Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu, India |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Shree Amma Yanger Ayyapan |
| Died | 24 February 2018, Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1967–2018 |
| Spouse | Boney Kapoor (m. 1996) |
| Children | Janhvi Kapoor, Khushi Kapoor |
| Languages of work | Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam, Kannada |
| Notable honour | Padma Shri (2013) |
Background and early life
Sridevi was born in Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu, to Ayyapan, a Tamil lawyer, and Rajeswari, who was from Andhra Pradesh. She entered films as a child artiste at the age of four, with the Tamil film Kandan Karunai (1967) directed by A. P. Nagarajan. As a child performer she appeared in several southern productions, and won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Child Artist for the Malayalam film Poombatta (1971).
Career
Early work in southern cinema
Sridevi made her debut as a lead actress in the Tamil film Moondru Mudichu (1976), directed by K. Balachander, opposite Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan. She continued to work prolifically in Tamil and Telugu films through the late 1970s and early 1980s. Her notable south Indian films include 16 Vayathinile (1977), Sigappu Rojakkal (1978), Varumayin Niram Sivappu (1980), Meendum Kokila (1981), Moondram Pirai (1982) and Vaazhvey Maayam (1982). In Telugu, she starred in films such as Padaharella Vayasu (1978), Vetagadu (1979) and Kaliyuga Pandavulu (1986).
Hindi cinema breakthrough
Although she had appeared in the Hindi film Julie (1975) as a child artiste, her debut as a leading lady in Hindi cinema was Solva Sawan (1979). She rose to national prominence with Himmatwala (1983), directed by K. Raghavendra Rao opposite Jeetendra, which became a major commercial success. She followed this with hits including Mawaali (1983), Tohfa (1984) and Nagina (1986).
Stardom in Hindi cinema
Through the late 1980s and early 1990s Sridevi was among the highest paid and most popular actresses in Hindi cinema. Critically and commercially significant films from this period include Mr. India (1987) directed by Shekhar Kapur, Chandni (1989) and Lamhe (1991), both directed by Yash Chopra, ChaalBaaz (1989), Khuda Gawah (1992) and Gumrah (1993). She received the Filmfare Award for Best Actress for ChaalBaaz and Lamhe. Her last release before a long hiatus was Judaai (1997).
Return to acting
After a 15-year break to focus on family, Sridevi returned in English Vinglish (2012), written and directed by Gauri Shinde, in which she played a homemaker learning English. The film received widespread critical acclaim. Her final lead role was in Mom (2017), directed by Ravi Udyawar, for which she was posthumously awarded the National Film Award for Best Actress.
Personal life
Sridevi married film producer Boney Kapoor in 1996. The couple had two daughters: Janhvi Kapoor, who entered Hindi cinema with Dhadak (2018), and Khushi Kapoor. Through her marriage she was the sister-in-law of actors Anil Kapoor and Sanjay Kapoor.
Death
Sridevi died on 24 February 2018 in Dubai, where she was attending a family wedding. The cause of death, as recorded by authorities in Dubai, was accidental drowning in a hotel bathtub. Her funeral was held in Mumbai on 28 February 2018, and she was accorded a state funeral by the Government of Maharashtra.
Awards and honours
- Padma Shri (2013), Government of India
- National Film Award for Best Actress – Mom (2017, posthumous)
- Filmfare Award for Best Actress – ChaalBaaz (1990), Lamhe (1992)
- Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award (2013)
- Kerala State Film Award for Best Child Artist – Poombatta (1971)
- Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil – Meendum Kokila (1981), Moondram Pirai (1982)
Significance
Sridevi is widely credited with establishing the female lead as a central commercial draw in Hindi cinema during the 1980s, in an era dominated by male stars. Her command across multiple Indian languages, her dance ability and her range from comedy to dramatic roles made her one of the most versatile performers of her generation. Films such as Sadma, Mr. India, Chandni and Lamhe are considered landmarks in Indian popular cinema, and her return performance in English Vinglish is often cited as a reference point for women-centred mainstream Hindi films.
Related topics
- Boney Kapoor
- Janhvi Kapoor
- Anil Kapoor
- Yash Chopra
- K. Balachander
- Mr. India (1987 film)
- English Vinglish
- Mom (2017 film)
- Cinema of India
- Padma Shri
References
- Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India – Padma Awards announcements.
- Directorate of Film Festivals, Government of India – National Film Awards records.
- Filmfare Awards official archives.
- Press Information Bureau, Government of India.