Shree Amma Yanger Ayyappan (13 August 1963 – 24 February 2018), professionally credited with her stage name Sridevi, was an Indian actress who worked in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada language films. Cited as the "First Female Superstar" of Indian cinema, she was the recipient of various accolades, including the National Film Award, the Nandi Award, the Tamil Nadu State Film Award, the Kerala State Film Award, four Filmfare Awards, including a Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award and three Filmfare Awards South. Sridevi's career in Indian cinema spanned over 50 years in a range of genres from slapstick comedy to epic dramas. She was known for her reticent and introverted personality, but headstrong and outspoken screen persona, regularly playing strong-willed, sophisticated women. In 2013, Sridevi was honoured with the Padma Shri, the country's fourth highest civilian honour. She was also voted 'India's Greatest Actress in 100 Years' in a CNN-IBN national poll conducted in 2013 on the occasion of the centenary of Indian cinema.
Sridevi made her debut as a child in the 1967 Tamil film Kandhan Karunai at the age of four, and started her acting career in lead roles as a child in M. A. Thirumugam’s 1969 mythological Tamil film Thunaivan. She continued to act as a child artist in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada films. She made her Hindi film debut at the age of nine in Rani Mera Naam (1972). Her first role as a teen-adult came in 1976 at age 13, when she was cast in the Tamil film Moondru Mudichu. She quickly established herself as one of the prominent and leading female stars of South Indian Cinema, with roles in 16 Vayathinile (1977), Thulavarsham (1976), Angeekaaram (1977), Sigappu Rojakkal (1978), Padaharella Vayasu (1978), Vetagaadu (1979), Varumayin Niram Sivappu (1980), Meendum Kokila (1981), Premabhishekam (1981), Vazhvey Maayam (1982), Moondram Pirai (1982), Aakhari Poratam (1988), Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari (1990) and Kshana Kshanam (1991).
Following a notable appearance in the romantic drama Julie (1975), Sridevi's first starring role in Hindi cinema came with the drama film Solva Sawan (1979), and she received wider recognition for the action film Himmatwala (1983). She established herself in the industry with a string of successful films, including Mawaali (1983), Justice Chaudhury (1983), Tohfa (1984), Naya Kadam (1984), Maqsad (1984), Masterji (1985), Karma (1986), Nazrana (1987), Watan Ke Rakhwale (1987), Mr. India (1987), Waqt Ki Awaz (1988) and Chandni (1989). She received widespread praise for her performances in films, including Sadma (1983), Nagina (1986), ChaalBaaz (1989), Lamhe (1991), Khuda Gawah (1992), Gumrah (1993), Laadla (1994), and Judaai (1997). Following the role of the titular protagonist in the television sitcom Malini Iyer (2004–2005), Sridevi returned to film acting with the highly successful comedy-drama English Vinglish (2012) and then starred in her 300th and final film role in the psychological thriller Mom (2017). She earned widespread critical acclaim for her performances in both films, and for the latter was posthumously awarded the National Film Award for Best Actress.
On 24 February 2018, she was found dead of an accidental drowning in her guest room at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. News of her death featured prominently in Indian and international media. She was married to film producer Boney Kapoor, with whom she had two children, including actress Janhvi Kapoor.
