DNA Exclusive | Weddings in Pakistan were not complete without her songs: Uzma Mazhar

Sridevi's untimely demise has left hordes of fans in Pakistan equally sad and morose. Sridevi is one of the most watched Indian actresses in the neighbouring country along with Rekha, Madhuri Dixit and Aishwarya Rai. As the news of her untimely death poured in, many Pakistani fans posted condolence messages on their Facebook timeline.

Senior lifestyle journalist and Editor of This Fortnight in Pakistan, Uzma Mazhar, posted, "At first I thought it was fake news but then I realised it was true."

Speaking with DNA, Uzma said, "She was extremely popular in Pakistan. This was the time when Indian films were banned in Pakistan. We used to watch her films on VCR with pirated VHS tapes. My father used to go to India and watch her films with true fondness. I used to be extremely jealous of him."

Uzma confesses that no Pakistani wedding function was complete without a choreographed dance of "Mere haathon mein naun naun chudiyaan hain" and fondly reminisces her days of youth when she danced to the song.

Theatre teacher and actor from Karachi Atif Badar is a great fan as well. He has also acted in movies like Ramchand Pakistani and has visited India twice. He was so clued to the actress's life that he knew the smallest details about her career. "She acted in roles that other actresses rejected. She got Jayaprada's role in Nageena, and Rekha's role in Chandni and Mr India. All three were game changers for her," says Badar.

"I was spellbound with her character and its portrayal in Sadma. Her expressions had a child-like innocence coupled with naughtiness which made me an instant fa. I liked the last scene of Sadma especially where she changes from being mentally challenged to extremely mature," adds Atif.

Atif feels that she had an uncanny resemblance with Lucy Ricardo of the 'I love Lucy' series from the '60s and her mannerisms matched the Hollywood actress.

Uzma recalls how Pakistanis were sceptical about how Amitabh and Sridevi's portrayal of Pathans in Khuda Gawah but it became a great hit after its release.

Sources in Karachi confirmed that Sajal Ali, who played Sridev's mom in the film MOM, is trying to fly to Dubai to pay her last respects to her reel mom. During the making of the film MOM she lost her real mother to cancer and her Instagram message to the news simply says it all, "Lost my mom again."