Sridevi

Sridevi, born Shree Amma Yanger Ayyapan on August 13, 1963, in Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu, was one of the most iconic and influential actresses in the history of Indian cinema. Often hailed as Indian cinema’s first female superstar, she worked across Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada films in a career spanning nearly five decades.

Sridevi began her career as a child artist at the age of four in the Tamil devotional film “Thunaivan” (1969). She became a leading actress in Tamil cinema as a teenager, starring in hits like “16 Vayathinile” (1977) opposite Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth, “Sigappu Rojakkal” (1978), “Moondram Pirai” (1982), “Meendum Kokila” (1981), and “Vazhve Maayam” (1982). Her performances in these films established her as a powerhouse performer.

Sridevi went on to dominate Hindi cinema with landmark films like “Himmatwala” (1983), “Mr. India” (1987), “ChaalBaaz” (1989), “Chandni” (1989), “Lamhe” (1991), and “Judai” (1997). After a 15-year hiatus, she made a triumphant comeback with “English Vinglish” (2012), which was critically acclaimed worldwide. She was honoured with the Padma Shri (2013) and posthumously received the Padma Vibhushan in 2024. Sridevi passed away on February 24, 2018, in Dubai, leaving behind an irreplaceable legacy. She was married to producer Boney Kapoor and has two daughters, Janhvi and Khushi Kapoor.