SMRITI IRANI WRITES AN ODE TO SRIDEVI

Sridevi was an inspiration to many. With her memorable performance in Films like Sadma, Lamhe, Chandni, Mr. India and English Vinglish, the actress had made millions of fans and Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Smriti Irani, is one such fan.

Sridevi died late on Saturday night due to cardiac arrest in Dubai, following this sudden death, Smriti Irani wrote an emotional letter remembering her as "favorite star who defined joy in my childhood".

Smriti Irani wrote in a letter published by News18, "I pay homage to an actor who through her body of work ascertained that a female actress' place in a commercial Hindi movie is not only to compliment her male counterparts."

"My memories of Sridevi are built through my journey from being a fangirl to an actor and then my role as a politician. I have had opportunities to meet Sridevi in public engagements and industry events, and each time I went back knowing a little more about her."

She said, "She was a woman who knew her mind and despite the challenges that came her way, she approached life with a lot of dignity. The actor in me was influenced by her work in movies like 'Chalbaaz', 'Chandni', 'Sadma' and the effortless performance in 'Lamhe'."

She added, "That her male co-stars had to depend on her magic for their box office success was an ode to her calibre."

"It was not just her dance move that dazzled many, her comic timing is worth a study. The versatility with which she could oscillate between making her audience cry and laugh spoke volumes of her strength as an actor."

Smriti Irani last met Sridevi at the International Film Festival of India in Goa in November 2017.