India in 'Sadma' with loss of its 'Chandni': Sridevi's unseen pics will leave you teary-eyed

Legendary actor Sridevi’s sudden demise has left millions of fans heartbroken. Her smile lit up the screen and she danced like a dream. With a career spanning for over five decade, Sridevi was an inspiration for many budding actors.

Right from her terrific comic timing in Chalbaaz and Mr India to her nuanced portrayal of challenging roles in Sadma and English Vinglish, Sridevi’s sudden demise is an end of era in Indian film industry.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Smriti Irani and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar expressed their shock and grief over the actor’s death. 

The news has stunned Bollywood actors. ‘Shocking’, ‘unbelievable’, ‘jolted’ were the words most used in their tweets. Actors such as Boman Irani, Priyanka Chopra, Manoj Bajpayee, Kajol, Rishi Kapoor took to Twitter to remember the original ‘Hawa Hawai’.

As fans and stars remember the actor, here are some of teh unseen photos of Sridevi that will leave you teary-eyed. 

A photograph of mine as a child artiste! @zeecinema pic.twitter.com/omzvCzMobB

— SRIDEVI BONEY KAPOOR (@SrideviBKapoor) March 1, 2013

A photo still from Sadma in 1983! pic.twitter.com/4R1FC2Gi

— SRIDEVI BONEY KAPOOR (@SrideviBKapoor) February 15, 2013

Hi. I'm very grateful to one of my fans who found this rare picture of my family. Brought back so many memories. pic.twitter.com/rZ7eEY7P

— SRIDEVI BONEY KAPOOR (@SrideviBKapoor) August 20, 2012

Happy Father's Day!! pic.twitter.com/OYiZeDIb52

— SRIDEVI BONEY KAPOOR (@SrideviBKapoor) June 18, 2017

Celebrating 30 years of Mr India. Cant believe how time has flown... pic.twitter.com/MEIBc3Wcu3

— SRIDEVI BONEY KAPOOR (@SrideviBKapoor) May 31, 2017

The most articulate dignified,cultured & caring lady, lucky to have worked with her. I Along with millions of our people will miss her. pic.twitter.com/ol49dfkyhw

— SRIDEVI BONEY KAPOOR (@SrideviBKapoor) December 7, 2016

First day of shooting of my new film...on my daughter's birthday! #JanhviBirthday pic.twitter.com/U0b8AtkPn6

— SRIDEVI BONEY KAPOOR (@SrideviBKapoor) March 7, 2016

Me and Mine! @BoneyKapoor pic.twitter.com/i1UJtiM1To

— SRIDEVI BONEY KAPOOR (@SrideviBKapoor) May 27, 2015

22 years of Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja! Sharing a picture from the 1st day of shooting. @BoneyKapoor pic.twitter.com/jckL6non7z

— SRIDEVI BONEY KAPOOR (@SrideviBKapoor) April 17, 2015

Remembering Yashi Ji on his birthday! pic.twitter.com/tDRHJbRbQe

— SRIDEVI BONEY KAPOOR (@SrideviBKapoor) September 27, 2013

In a career spanning five decades, Sridevi acted in 300 films and was awarded the Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian honour in 2013.

Born Shree Amma Yanger Ayyapan in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, she started acting at the age of four, appearing in several Tamil-language films in the 1960s and 1970s, and eventually dropping out of school for a career in the movies.

She acted in Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu films, performing alongside leading men such as Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth.

Sridevi made her Bollywood debut in 1979 with "Solva Sawan", but it was in 1983, with Balu Mahendra's "Sadma" that she made her mark in the Hindi film industry.

The year, she also acted with Jeetendra in K Raghavendra Rao's blockbuster "Himmatwala", cementing her place as one of Bollywood's top actresses.

Through the 1980s and 1990s she charmed audiences in female-centric films such as "Chandni" and "Lamhe", drawing praise for her comic timing in "Chaalbaaz" and Shekhar Kapur's "Mr India", playing feisty characters in contrast to the traditionally coy Bollywood heroine.

Sridevi took a break from films soon after she married producer Boney Kapoor in 1996.

A noticeably leaner Sridevi made a successful return to the big screen 15 years later in Gauri Shinde's "English Vinglish" (2012), playing a housewife taking English-language lessons. Her last screen appearance was in "Mom" (2017), as a mother avenging her daughter's rape.

Sridevi's death triggered an outpouring of tributes from Bollywood luminaries and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"I have no words. Condolences to everyone who loved Sridevi. A dark day. RIP," actress Priyanka Chopra said on Twitter.

"She was a veteran of the film industry, whose long career included diverse roles and memorable performances," PM Modi said in a tweet.

"We all grew up watching her and suddenly to hear that she is no longer with us is hard to digest," said cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar.