India in Sadma: Why fans of Sridevi are the biggest losers in her death

Sridevi's fans and supporters made a beeline outside her Andheri residence in Mumbai on Sunday to pay their last tributes to their "idol".

Mumbai, Feb 25: In Tamil legendary director Balu Mahendra's highly-acclaimed Hindi film, Sadma (Moondram Pirai in Tamil), released in 1983, actress Sridevi's character Nehalata caused unexplainable grief, shock and trauma to Somu, played by maverick actor Kamal Haasan, as she left him forever without even saying "goodbye". The heartbreaking climax scene from Sadma made film buffs sob endlessly.

On Saturday night, the legendary actress Sridevi, who played several memorable roles in Bollywood and all the south Indian film industries, breathed her last in Dubai, giving sadma (trauma) not just to the film fraternity, but to her fans across the world. Sridevi like in reel life, in real life too did not bid goodbye to her fans leaving everyone in utter shock and dismay. She was 54. Reports say Sridevi died because of a massive cardiac arrest.

Sridevi, who made her debut at the tender age of four in the Tamil film, Thunaivan, was known for her acting chops, dancing skills and of course, her beauty. She was a diva without any doubt. From films like Mr India, Chaalbaaz to Mom (her last film outing), Sridevi was the central character in most of her movies. It is for this reason that Sridevi became the first female superstar of Bollywood, an industry known to be male-dominated. She was a pathbreaker in many ways. From playing powerful roles to enacting comic scenes with great aplomb, Sridevi showed her female successors that in a tough industry like Bollywood, women too can become the central character of a film.

For many movie lovers, especially those who grew up in the late 80s and early 90s, Sridevi was the reason to watch movies. On Sunday, when from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar to actress-politician Hema Malini mourned the death of Sridevi, it's her fans who are going to miss her the most.

Sridevi's fans and supporters made a beeline outside her Andheri residence in Mumbai on Sunday to pay their last tributes to their "idol". Reports say that her body would be flown into Mumbai soon for the last rites. Talking to television news channels, some of her fans said that they were utterly shocked to hear about her sudden demise.

"I heard about the news last night. I simply could not believe it. I am her neighbour. She was a regular morning walker. I too walk in the morning. We used to meet almost every day. She was a very kind and simple person. She always used to greet everyone with a smile. She was very fit. I am surprised she suffered a cardiac arrest," said a neighbour and a fan.

Another woman, a self-proclaimed die-hard fan of Sridevi, said that she did not sleep last night after she came to know about the actress' demise. "I am waiting outside her house. I want to pay my tributes to my hero," she said while sobbing.

Indeed, Sridevi was (is) a "hero" who left an indelible mark in the hearts of movie lovers across the world.

OneIndia News