‘Sredevi’ is irreplaceable

Dear Editor,

‘Sredevi’, an iconic and irreplaceable Indian actress has transitioned. I honestly thought it was fake news when it first surfaced, until it was confirmed from the press reports in India. I became speechless and took a very deep breath and exhaled.

Being exposed to both Indian and English movies from an early stage, Sredevi became an instant interest. Perhaps it’s from dancing skills which she is professed as a classical dancer, her beauty and acting.

She was a diva of an actress and there is no doubt in my mind that she will be missed by her many fans globally.

She has some amazing and classic movies to her credit and I will not take up much space to name the many, but I will say that ‘Lamhe’ is a killer with the hit song ‘Kabhi Main kahoon’. It was the same with her as a child-actress in the famous movie ‘Julie’ which featured the hit song ‘My heart is beating’.

Mr. Pradeep Samtani, we have lost someone special and unique from the Indian cinemas globally.

Yours Faithfully,

T. Pemberton

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES—Indian actress Sridevi drowned in her hotel bathtub after losing consciousness, the Dubai police said in a statement Monday, though two police officials said she was also under the influence of alcohol at the time.

The 54-year-old, who for years was one of Bollywood’s top actresses, died late Saturday while in Dubai for a wedding.

Her brother-in-law Sanjay Kapoor had told an Indian newspaper that she died of a cardiac arrest.

In a tweet, the Dubai police said that her death was “due to drowning in her hotel apartment’s bathtub following loss of consciousness.”

They added that the case had been handed to the public prosecutor’s office, “which will carry out regular legal procedures.”

Two Dubai police officials added, though, that she was under the influence of alcohol. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to reporters.

Sridevi, who was at her peak in the 1980s and ‘90s, was seen as the first female superstar in India’s male-dominated film industry. She was known for her impeccable comic timing as well as her dancing skills — a serious asset in country where song-and-dance melodramas are a movie staple.

Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar on Tuesday said veteran actor Sridevi's demise is a sensitive issue and urged people to not speculate her cause of death considering about her family and children.

Speaking to ANI, Bhandarkar said it is a relief that Dubai police has closed the case and added that one should look into the larger perspective.

"People should stop speculating and analysing. They must look into the sensitivity of the case, especially when kids and family is there. Today industry is very happy that finally the mortal remains will come back tonight," he stated.

Recalling her as a versatile and iconic actor, the filmmaker added that her death will create big void in the film industry.

Earlier in the day, the UAE media reported that the embalming process of the mortal remains of the veteran actor was completed and were being taken to the Dubai Airport.

Apart from Sridevi's husband Boney Kapoor, her stepson Arjun Kapoor is also in Dubai to oversee the formalities.

The Dubai Public Prosecution today confirmed that the probe into Sridevi's death has been completed, following which it closed the case.

The Dubai Media Office Twitter account posted, "Dubai Public Prosecution stressed that all regular procedures followed in such cases have been completed. As per the forensic report, the death of the Indian actress occurred due to accidental drowning following loss of consciousness. The case has now been closed."

In another Tweet, the Dubai Public Prosecution informed that it has approved the release of Sridevi's body to her family "following the completion of a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances of her death."

Sridevi passed away on late Saturday night in Dubai, where she was attending a family wedding.

According to the forensic report, the 54-year-old actress died of accidental drowning in her hotel room's bathtub, after suffering a dizzying spell.

Traces of alcohol were also found in her body.

This was contrary to the earlier reports that were surfaced on media stating that the actress was died due to cardiac arrest. (ANI)

Sridevi Kapoor: 'Case closed' in Bollywood star's death