Dubai: Bollywood actress Sridevi died on Saturday night after drowning in the bathtub of her hotel room, Dubai Police said. She was 54. Follow the latest updates here...
Reporting by Sajila Saseendran, Suchitra Bajpai Chaudhary, Manjusha Radhakrishnan, Bassam Za’za’, Ali Al Shouk, Huda Tabrez and agencies
February 28, Wednesday:
9.30pm
Boney Kapoor has shared an emotional note on the demise of his wife Sridevi
6.30pm
The family issues a statement, asking for understanding and requesting media for privacy in these trying times.
4.45pm
Bollywood diva Sridevi who died in Dubai on Saturday was cremated with full state honours, mourned by millions of fans, at the Vile Parle crematorium. Sridevi’s filmmaker husband Boney Kapoor performed the last rites at the ceremony. The couple’s daughters, Jahnvi and Khushi, were by his side.
3.50pm, UAE time
Last rites begin for Sridevi at the Vile Parle Seva Samaj Crematorium in Mumbai
Industrialist Anil Ambani, Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif, Anupam Kher, Arjun Rampal, Vidya Balan, her husband Siddharth Roy Kapur, Farhan Akhtar, Dia Mirza and her husband Sahil Sangha were some of the celebrities present at the crematorium, apart from the close family members of Sridevi.
3.35pm, UAE time
Sridevi, who smashed into the male-dominated movie industry to become her own star, was given a state funeral on Wednesday.
As an awardee of Padma Shree, India's fourth-highest civilian award (for her "distinguished service" through the film industry), Sridevi was honoured with a state funeral.
The Bollywood icon appeared in around 300 films during her career, which started out when she was 4-year-old child star in south Indian regional movies.
1.05pm
9am, UAE time
Some carried roses while others held photos of the late screen icon as they queued patiently to pay their final respects at a condolence service in the western Indian city.
Meanwhile, legends of Hindi cinema, including director Karan Johar, were among the mourners at the Celebration Sports Club in the Andheri West area of Mumbai — the home of the Bollywood film industry.
Sridevi's death shocked not only an entire subcontinent but also her colleagues in the film industry. Her funeral on Wednesday brought stars from both India and Pakistan together to pay their last respects to the Bollywood legend. - Twitter.
Heavy security lined the streets to control the crowds, which included people who had travelled hundreds of kilometres to be there.
Several fans chanted prayers as Sridevi's body was brought the short distance from her home to the club at 9am (0330 GMT).
She is due to be cremated at a private Hindu ceremony later on Wednesday.
Sridevi was considered to be one of the most influential Bollywood actresses of all time and her sudden death at the weekend sparked an outpouring of grief in India.
Tributes poured in from fans and fellow actors as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Condolences from the film fraternity continued to pouring in on Tuesday. After visiting the grieving family, Bappi Lahiri said he worked in 11 Silver Jubilee films with Sridevi, who was "the one and only lady superstar".
"I still can't believe she is no more with us, my heart sinks thinking about it."
He said that he would like to dedicate the song "Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna" to her memory. "Never say goodbye! She will always remain an integral part of our industry. She will always remain our superstar."
Waheeda Rehman, who shared screen space with Sridevi in films like "Chandani", "Himmatwala" and "Lamhe", was seen at Anil's Kapoor's Juhu residence. Anupam Kher and "Welcome" director Anees Bazmee were also spotted there, besides "Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania" director Shashank Khaitan.
February 27, Tuesday:
9.00pm
Sridevi's body brought to her residence in Mumbai
8.06pm
Plane with Sridevi’s body lands in Mumbai
Private plane carrying the body of Bollywood actress Sridevi lands in Mumbai. Members of the Kapoor family, led by actor Anil Kapoor, brother-in-law of the actress, were at the airport to receive the body.
7.05pm
‘Let Her Rest In Peace'
A new twitter hashtag #LetHerRestInPeace is trending India urging media to put an end to media’s rampant sensationalism and speculative reporting while covering the news related to the death of Sridevi in Dubai.
5.50pm
Flight takes off for Mumbai with Sridevi’s body
Special chartered flight carrying Sridevi's body has taken off for Mumbai. Her husband Boney Kapoor and stepson are acoompanying the body.
5.43pm
Details of condolence meeting and cremation ceremony provided the family of Sridevi Kapoor
Condolences and last respects:
Date & Time : 28th Feb Wednesday, 9.30 am to 12.30 pm
Venue: Celebration Sports Club
Garden No 5, Lokhandwala Complex, Andheri West, Mumbai, Maharashtra - 400053
The last journey will commence at 2 pm from Celebration Sports Club to Pawan Hans.
Cremation Ceremony
Venue : Vile Parle Seva Samaj Crematorium and Hindu Cemetery, Next to Pawan Hans, SV Road, Vile Parle West
Date & Time : 28th Feb 3.30 pm onwards
5.30pm
Statement from Sridevi's family
"Khushi, Janhvi, Boney Kapoor and the entire Kapoor and Ayyappan families are deeply bereaved and shocked with the untimely loss of Sridevi Kapoor. Late Sridevi Kapoor passed away in Dubai, UAE, on Saturday February 24th.
We thank the film fraternity, media, fans of late Sridevi Kapoor and all the well-wishers for their prayers, support and sensitivity during our moment of immense grief. We request you to kindly join us in paying our last respect to a remarkable actor, beloved wife and loving mother."
4pm
Boney Kapoor to fly with Sridevi’s body in an hour
Sridevi’s body reached Dubai International Airport. The private jet carrying her body and her family members will take off by around 5:30pm, sources confirmed to Gulf News.
Sources also confirmed that Sridevi’s husband Boney Kapoor and his son Arjun Kapoor are accompanying her body on its final journey from Dubai to Mumbai.
3.39pm
Ambulance carrying Sridevi's body is now on the way to the airport on her final journey home.
The ambulance carrying her body has left the embalming centre in Muhaisnah and is now en route to the airport from where she will be flown on a private jet to Mumbai.
3.15pm
Embalming of Sridevi's body has been done. The embalming was conducted at the Medical Fitness Centre in Muhaisnah. Her body was released after the procedure and taken by ambulance to the airport.
1.57pm
The Public Prosecutor's Office in the Emirate of Dubai has decided to hand over the body of Indian actress Sridevi Kapoor to her relatives on Tuesday after the investigation into her death was concluded.
The case is considered closed.
In a tweet, the Dubai Media office said: “The Public Prosecutor's Office in Dubai said: 'The decision to release the body came after all the investigations and procedural matters followed in such incidents were completed, in order to determine all its circumstances and ensure that justice was done within the framework of the law'.”
12.50pm
Authorities in Dubai have just given the go-ahead to repatriate the body of Indian actress Sridevi.
Sources confirmed to Gulf News that a no objection certificate to release the mortal remains of the celebrated actress was handed over to the representatives of the Indian Consulate and her family at around 12.45pm.
At 12:57pm the Indian consulate tweeted that the Dubai Police has handed over the Consulate and the family members letters for the release of the mortal remains of the Indian cinema icon Sridevi Boney Kapoor so that they can proceed for embalming.
The document was handed to them at the Bur Dubai police station, which received the same from Dubai Public Prosecution.
Dubai Police on Monday transferred the case to Dubai Public Prosecution after it was found that Sridevi had died due to accidentally drowning in the bathtub inside her hotel room. This necessitated further legal procedures and clearances for flying her mortal remains to India.
It is expected that her body will soon be shifted from the mortuary in Dubai Police Headquarters to the Medical Fitness Centre in Muhaisnah for embalming.
12.02pm
Sridevi's stepson and Bollywood actor Arjun Kapoor has landed in Dubai this morning to be with his father Boney Kapoor, his publicist confirmed to Gulf News.
"Arjun has gone to Dubai this morning to be with his father at the hotel while the formalities are being wrapped up and to oversee the return journey," said a statement issued on behalf of the Kapoor and Marwah family.
Boney Kapoor is currently waiting to repatriate his wife's body back to India for the funeral.
Arjun Kapoor who made his debut in Ishaqzaade has acted in his father's production Tevar. Watch this space for more.
By Manjusha Radhakrishnan, Chief Reporter
11.20am
Dubai: By 11:20am Tuesday morning, Dubai prosecutors haven't issued a written approval allowing the family of Sridevi to collect her body, pending further law enforcement procedures, a senior prosecutor told Gulf News.
“Procedures in such accidental cases are very normal. Based on the findings and results of the police procedures and post-mortem report, prosecutors will decide on the next step. However, the public and the media should be aware that the law in such incidents require certain and very particular law enforcement procedures that has to be carried out prior to issuing a written approval to have the body of the late Indian actress or any other deceased’s body released.
Primarily and principally speaking, the family’s privacy must be respected and secondly, the authorities’ procedures and efforts must also be respected. This incident, is being treated like all other similar incident, since Dubai’s law enforcement officers and organisations treat all cases and involved individuals in the same manner ... law enforcement procedures are practiced and applied justly and equally on all individuals present on the land of the UAE,” said the senior prosecutor.
By Bassam Za’za’, Legal and Court Correspondent
What is Embalming?
Sridevi's body has to be embalmed after it is released for repatriation to Mumbai.
But why is embalming so essential ?
A Dubai doctor under condition of anonymity explained that embalming was a branch of forensic medicine where a body was coated with a special embalming fluid . He said: "Embalming is carried out in the UAE strictly at a designated government health centre."
Usually when an individual dies he or she is buried or cremated the same day. However, in cases where the body needs to be preserved for long distance transportation or in cases of dignitaries for viewing it needs to be preserved .
Elaborating on the process the doctor said: "All fluids including blood is emptied out of the body cavities and a fluid which maybe anything as basic as formaldehyde or a combination of preservatives is applied to the mortal remains to prevent any decay."
Usually the potency of the formulation depends on the number of hours it requires to be preserved .
In the UAE, many of expatriates prefer to repatriate the remains of their loved ones so embalming becomes vital.
By Suchitra Bajpai Chaudhary, Senior Reporter
10.20amhttps://www.facebook.com/GulfNews.UAE/videos/1800499923349591/
Uncertainty is continuing in the repatriation of Indian actress Sridevi as legal formalities are yet to be finished.
Authorities are yet to issue a clearance letter to release her body for embalming and subsequent repatriation, sources said on Tuesday morning.
Consul General of India in Dubai, Vipul, confirmed to Gulf News shortly after 10.15am that the mission had not received any update on the same.
"We are still waiting for information from the Bur Dubai police station about the clearance. They will inform us when they receive it from the public prosecution."
He said the consulate representatives were on standby to collect the document and submit it to the mortuary at Dubai Police Headquarters.
Once the no objection certificate for releasing the body from mortuary is received, Sridevi's mortal remains would be taken to the embalming unit in the Medical Fitness Centre in Muhaisanah.
10.40pm
Police take Boney Kapoor’s statement
Sources told Gulf News that Dubai Police called in Sridevi’s husband Boney Kapoor to Bur Dubai police station for investigation. Police took his statement after which he was allowed to go back to his hotel room.
9.00pm
Indian diplomatic officials told Gulf News they are trying their best to get all approvals so that the body is repatriated later tonight.
However, they were unable to provide a definite time for the repatriation of the body.
8.20pm
5.57pm
Repatriation ‘open ended’
India’s Ambassador to the UAE Navdeep Singh Suri in an earlier interview with the Indian media had said that they had got clearance from Dubai authorities to repatriate Sridevi’s mortal remains. However a diplomatic source said that with the new development of the case being referred to the Public Prosecution, the repatriation issue is now open ended. He added that the Indian Embassy is in talks with the Dubai authorities to get clearance and is hopeful it will happen soon.
4.20pm
What is the procedure in such cases?
A chief prosecutor told Gulf News: “In such accidental death incidents, the results of the post-mortem and forensic examination reports are referred to the Public Prosecution as part of ordinary law enforcement procedures. The papers are revised by the prosecutors of the jurisdiction where the incident happened. An official order to hand over the body of the deceased to the family or relatives is issued shortly after that.”
In case of any suspicious foul play, prosecutors would carry out further detailed investigations and decide on any future law enforcement procedures accordingly, said the chief prosecutor.
Bassam Za’Za, Legal and Court Correspondent
3.50pm
Sridevi's death: Dubai Police has transferred the case to Dubai Public Prosecution, which will carry out regular legal procedures followed in such cases, according to the Dubai Media Office.
Following the release of the forensic report on Bollywood icon Sridevi's death in Dubai, the case has been moved to public prosecution.
2.13pm
Dubai Police said initial investigation shows that Bollywood actress Sridevi drowned following loss of consciousness in the bathtub of her hotel room.
They found traces of alcohol in her body and this may have led to the accident. “The investigation is still going on to determine the circumstances surrounding the accident as the forensic report only says that she drowned,” an official told Gulf News.
The police are trying to piece together the sequence of events and find out who was with her when the incident happened.
Ali Al Shouk, Staff Reporter
Traces of alcohol found in Sridevi’s body, died of accidental drowning, according to the forensic report.
1.30pm
Forensic report released
Sources have said that Dubai Police have released the forensic report on Sridevi's death to her family and the Indian Consulate representative.
Sridevi’s repatriation: Dubai Police release forensic report.
The envelope has not been opened. It has been sent to the Bur Dubai police station. Both the representatives have gone to the police station with it.
Once opened by Dubai Police, and the information revealed to the family, then the next step for the process of repatriation will be decided.
10.15am
Delay likely
Dubai Police have confirmed that there will be further delays in repatriating the body of Indian actress Sridevi, who died in Dubai on Saturday.
Around 10:15 am, the officials at the Forensic Medicine Department announced that the final post-mortem reports of their investigation were not ready.
They also briefed the representatives of the Indian Consulate that they were not in a position to give an update on by what time the reports can be released.
This means that the repatriation of Sridevi’s mortal remains to India is likely to be further delayed.
Senior Indian officials said they do not wish to speculate on the timeframe and would rather wait for the Dubai Police to issue the results to carry out the rest of the procedures for the repatriation.
The anatomy of a post mortem
While there are currently no reported mandatory procedures with regard to post mortem examinations for deaths in Dubai, it could be requested on a case-to-case basis, by either the police or the coroner/paramedic team/examining doctors. This would mostly be in cases where the cause of death is unclear, there is a lack of medical history records or if the person was found in suspicious circumstances.
A post mortem could also be requested by immediate family, to clarify the cause of death.
“The post mortem process can take up to an hour or two. The routine tests usually don’t take more than a day or two unless there are multiple tests being conducted, such as organ tests. This is usually done when the cause of death is unclear from initial exams. In that case, the pathology department could take from 3 days to even a week or more depending on the extent of the tests”, a practicing doctor in the UAE told Gulf News.
Cardiac Arrests
Speaking about cardiac arrests in particular he said, “While doing a post mortem in case of death from cardiac arrest, the initial focus is to find signs of pre-existing coronary vascular problems, like thickening of arteries, blockage, cholesterol plaque in blood vessels, and looking mainly at the heart for evidence of blocks.”
“If there are no pre-existing coronary conditions, a number of factors could lead to a cardiac arrest. They could be external or internal. External factors include any kind of physical trauma such as a blunt hit to the chest area, an electric shock etc. Internal factors could be electrolyte imbalance, extremely low potassium, calcium levels, or sudden metabolic ups or downs. Hypoxia or lack of oxygen can also cause the heart to stop.
Stress to the body post a recent surgery, toxins from severe bacterial infections or even insect/animal bites are other causes of cardiac arrest. The post mortem can effectively find evidence of whichever of these caused a cardiac arrest in the victim”, he said.
Dona Cherian, Guides Writer
Toxicology
The toxicology reports of tests done on blood and organs of Sridevi are expected to reveal the exact cause of her death.
If the reports do not conclusively confirm a natural cause such as the reported heart attack, there will be further investigations which would mean even more delays for sending her body home, sources told Gulf News.
Sridevi’s family had said she had died of a cardiac arrest. Sources had told Gulf News that she had collapsed in the bathroom of her room in Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel. The forensic reports will reveal what exactly led to her death.
The long wait of millions of her fans, friends and relatives to know what exactly happened to her and when exactly her body can be flown to India seems to continue even as a private jet sent by Indian business tycoon Anil Ambani is waiting to fly her back home.
8.25am
Test results awaited:
Dubai Police are expected to release Bollywood star Sridevi’s mortal remains later today after blood and organ test results are out, Gulf News has learnt.
A Dubai forensic source said that the biopsy of blood and organs is routinely carried out in cases where cause of death is not clearly known.
"If a death takes place in hospital, then sometimes we do not need to carry out the autopsy. But in a case like this, it becomes imperative to know if the real cause of death is cardiac or non-cardiac."
"The blood and organ testing is carried out to ascertain any bacterial, viral, enzyme or toxic load that may be linked to the cause," the source said.
Once the result is ascertained, only then will the body be sent for embalming.
In the event that the forensics finds something, there could be further investigation.
The test results will be made available by 10am UAE time.
Bereaved family's statement:
The Kapoor family has issued a statement saying: “Boney Kapoor, Jhanvi, Khushi and the entire Kapoor, Ayyappan and Marwah family is deeply bereaved and shocked with the untimely loss of Sridevi Kapoor. They thank the entire media for their prayers, support and sensitivity during their time of grief.
"Late Sridevi Kapoor’s body will arrive in India tomorrow. We will update you on all further information as and when it’s available to us."
5.45pm, Sunday, February 25
Sridevi’s body to be flown home on Monday
Sridevi’s body could not be repatriated on Sunday as the final investigation reports from Dubai Police were not ready by late evening, officials dealing with the legal formalities told Gulf News.
Official sources confirmed that Sridevi would not be sent home on Sunday. They also expressed hopes that the repatriation can be completed by Monday.
Authorities in Dubai had been trying to assist Sridevi’s family to send her remains to Mumbai at the earliest on Sunday.
Indian business tycoon Anil Ambani had reportedly offered to fly her remains back home in his private jet.
As confirmed earlier by Indian Ambassador to the UAE Navdeep Singh Suri and Consul General of India in Dubai Vipul, Indian Consulate representatives had been coordinating with Dubai Police and other authorities concerned.
However, the procedures could not be completed before office hours in local departments here, sources said.
A team of officials from Dubai Police conducted the postmortem and forensic investigation. However, the final reports were not issued to start the remaining procedures for repatriation like embalming by evening.
“This will take time,” an official source said around 4:15pm.
Sridevi reportedly died of a heart attack after collapsing in a bathroom at Jumeirah Emirates Towers late on Saturday night.
The actress and family were in town after attending the wedding of her nephew and actor Mohit Marwah, which took place in Ras Al Khaimah.
A relative representing the family was allowed inside along with a representative of the Indian Consulate to talk to the officials at the mortuary of Dubai Police Headquarters.
Sridevi reportedly died of a heart attack after collapsing in a bathroom at Jumeirah Emirates Towers late on Saturday night.
The actress and family were in town after attending the wedding of her nephew and actor Mohit Marwah which took place in Ras Al Khaimah.
Her brother-in-law, Sanjay Kapoor, confirmed news about the actress' death, saying that she died at around 11.30pm.
The actress was reportedly with her husband and daughter in the UAE to attend the wedding of her nephew, actor Mohit Marwah, in Ras Al Khaimah.
Bachchan: "I don't know why I am feeling uneasy"
Mumbai: Ageless beauty, vibrant, beautiful, brilliant and iconic -- the Indian film fraternity outpoured its love for Sridevi as the news of her sudden death of the veteran actress left the country shocked.
Hours before the news of Sridevi's death surfaced, megastar Amitabh Bachchan tweeted: "Na jaane kyun, ajeeb si ghabrahat ho rahi hai [I don't know why I am feeling uneasy]."
From southern movie stars Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan, veterans such as Anupam Kher, Hema Malini and Madhuri Dixit-Nene and younger celebrities such as Farhan Akhtar and Alia Bhatt -- celebrities were in disbelief of Sridevi's demise at the age of 54.
"I'm shocked and very disturbed. I've lost a dear friend and the industry has lost a true legend. My heart goes out to her family and friends. I feel the pain with them. Sridevi, you will be missed," tweeted Rajinikanth, who featured with her in the 1989 hit ChaalBaaz.
Kamal Haasan, her co-star in Sadma, one of her most evocative performances, said: "Have witnessed Sridevi's life from an adolescent teenager to the magnificent lady she became. Her stardom was well deserved. Many happy moments with her flash through my mind including the last time I met her. Sadma's lullaby haunts me now. We'll miss her."
Actress-politician Hema Malini wrote: "Sridevi's sudden passing away has left me in deep shock. Can't imagine how such a bubbly person, a wonderful actor, is no more. She has left a void in the industry that cannot be filled. Boney is a good friend and I've seen their daughters grow up. My prayers are with the family."
Filmmaker S.S. Rajamouli wrote: "The first Lady Superstar of the Country. Fifty of those 54 years as an actress par excellence. What a journey...and such an unexpected end. May your soul rest in peace."
Before her entry into Bollywood, the actor had been a known face in South Indian films. She made her debut as a child artiste in Tamil film Thunaivan in 1969. She also worked in Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada films.
Sridevi was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honour, in 2013.
Actor Anupam Kher, who worked with Sridevi in movies such as Lamhe, ChaalBaaz and Karma, said: "Am I having a horrible dream. Sridevi no more? This is so so sad. And so so not fair. One of the most brilliant, elegant and talented actresses ever. The queen of Indian cinema. And a friend. Worked with her in so many movies. So many amazing memories."
He said he wants to remember her as "happening, vibrant, brilliant, beautiful, bestest and unique".
Sridevi was in Dubai with husband Boney Kapoor and their younger daughter, Khushi, when she breathed her last. Her older daughter, Jahnvi, who is due to make her Bollywood debut, was in Mumbai.
Sridevi and the rest of the family was in Dubai to attend a family wedding, and she exuded elegance in her appearances -- photos and videos that are now being shared on social media as her "last".
Author Chetan Bhagat wrote: "She never seemed to age, and now she is suddenly gone. We grew up watching her, and she was still going strong. Can't believe she's not there anymore. God bless her soul."
Actor-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar recounted his time with Sridevi from Lamhe.
"My first job in 1990 was on Lamhe and this song Megha re megha was the very first time I saw this legendary actor create her incredible magic on screen. From Sadma to 'ChalBaaz', from Mr.India to Chandni, it was impossible to take your eyes off her when she appeared on screen.
"A true star. A gifted actor. A woman with tremendous dignity. Gone too soon. RIP Sridevi. Sad sad day."
Her Chandni co-star Rishi Kapoor wrote: "Woken up to this tragic news. Absolute shock. Sad. Heartfelt condolences to Boney and their two daughters!"
Madhuri Dixit-Nene said, "The world has lost a very talented person who left behind a huge legacy in films".
Akshay Kumar (below) tweeted: "Shocked beyond words to hear about the sad and untimely demise of #Sridevi. A dream for many, had the good fortune of sharing screen space with her long ago and witnessed her continued grace over the years. Thoughts and prayers with the family. RIP."
Actor R. Madhavan described her as a legend of Indian cinema.
"Our industry will never be the same again. She was the kindest soul apart from being a Giant performer. The heavens are lucky."
Actress Alia Bhatt tweeted: "Nothing makes sense. I have no words... just completely shocked. RIP Sridevi. My icon forever. Love you."
Composer Vishal Dadlani wrote: "Srideviji was a megastar in her own right. She put the early cracks in the glass ceiling and paved the way for female megastars that came after her. Her reinvention and comeback has been brilliant too. We lost more than a star, today. We lost a pioneer."
Actor Vivek Oberoi described her as a "legend, an enigma, a superstar whose brilliance dazzled us for decades".
"Srideviji, you will live forever in our hearts," he added.
What we know about Sridevi's death:
Bollywood journalists say this video was taken just "a few hours" before Sridevi died.
Heart attack
Sources told Gulf News that the actress was staying at a Jumeirah Group hotel in Dubai. But it is not clear if she suffered the heart attack while in the hotel.
Authorities in Dubai are assisting the family of Indian actress Sridevi, who died of a cardiac arrest.
Sources told Gulf News the legendary actress had collapsed in the bathroom.
Her body is currently at the police headquarters morgue in Al Ghusais.
When contacted, Jumeirah Group refrained from commenting.
In a statement to Gulf News, the group said: “We are unable to comment on any matter under investigation by police. We appreciate the media's understanding and cooperation."
Business tycoon Mukesh Ambani has reportedly offered to fly the Bollywood legend's remains back to India in his private jet from Dubai.
Meanwhile, India's Consul General of India in Dubai Vipul told Gulf News: “We are in touch with Dubai Police and other authorities to expedite the repatriation of the body.”
Suri told Indian media that Dubai Police were engaged in preparing the forensic report. “As soon as they finish the local government’s formalities, we will provide documents from our side, which is death certificate and cancellation of passport.”
He said he is also in touch with Sridevi’s husband Boney Kapoor.
Asked about the media reports from India stating that Sridevi’s body would be reaching in Mumbai by 2pm, he said: “I don’t think so.”
A few fans and some social workers and consulate officials have reached the police mortuary.
Usman Mohammad Ebrahim, an engineer in Dubai, said he was one of the first people to reach the morgue to get a last glimpse of his favourite actress.
“I’m a great fan of her from her childhood days. I have seen her films as a child artist. She is the only actress who has acted as a daughter and heroine with many big actors. Nobody can replace her. This will be a big void which nobody can replace in near future.”
Lamhe (1991): It may not have been a blockbuster, but Yash Chopra was lauded for making a film far ahead of its time. The love story between a young girl (Sri Devi) and a man old enough to be her father (Anil Kapoor) was seen as a brave piece of filmmaking.
Kovind, Modi mourn Sridevi’s death
Indian President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday mourned the death of veteran actress Sridevi, who died in Dubai after suffering a cardiac arrest.
Sridevi dominated the silver screen in the mid-1990s, appearing in family dramas, including Laadla and Judaai.
"Shocked to hear of passing of movie star Sridevi. She has left millions of fans heartbroken. Her performances in films such as Moondram Pirai, Lamhe and English Vinglish remain an inspiration for other actors. My condolences to her family and close associates," the President tweeted.
Modi also took to Twitter, saying: "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."
Bollywood heavy-hitters expressed both shock and sadness, with actress Priyanka Chopra declaring it's "a dark day".
Iconic films
Sridevi has known for her performance is some of the iconic films like Mr India, Nagina, Sadma, Chaalbaaz, Chandni among many others.
Sridevi along with her husband Boney Kapoor and daughter Janhvi Kapoor.
The recipient of Padma Shri was last seen in Mom in 2017. In 2013, she was given Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian award.
Sridevi is survived by her husband and film producer, Boney Kapoor, and their two daughters.
Sridevi in 'English Vinglish'. She was last seen in Mom in 2017. In 2013, she was given Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian award.
Shocked, devastated
The news of death came as a shock for everyone in the film industry.
Priyanka Chopra expressed her condolences "to everyone who loved Sridevi". She described the actress' death as a "dark day".
"Absolutely devastated to hear about the passing of Sridevi. What a dark black terrible moment in time. Gutted," Nimrat Kaur said.
Sushmita Sen said she was "in shock...can't stop crying."
Sridevi was a veteran actress with many hit films to her credit, including the 1989 movie Chandni. She was last seen in the 2017 film, MOM.
She made her acting debut with the 1978 film Solva Sawan. She gained commercial success five years later with the Jeetendra-starrer Himmatwala.
Her 1993 hit, Gumrah, earned her critical acclaim.
After starring in Judaai, she took a 15-year break from movies, but came back in 2012 in English Vinglish.
She was regarded as the first female superstar of Hindi cinema. She was awarded the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian honour in 2013.
Senior Indian officials said they do not wish to speculate on the timeframe and would rather wait for the Dubai Police to issue the results to carry out the rest of the procedures for the repatriation.
