Megastar Sridevi's Body To Be Flown Back To Mumbai Today For Funeral

Mumbai: The country is mourning Bollywood icon Sridevi, who died on Saturday evening in Dubai following a cardiac arrest. The 54-year-old, who had dominated the silver screen in the 80s, had gone to Dubai to attend a family wedding.

Sridevi had fainted in the bathroom of the Jumeirah Emirates Towers, where she was staying with her family. A medical team had failed to revive her and she was declared dead at a hospital, Indian ambassador in UAE Navdeep Suri told NDTV.

Indian consulate officials said that after receiving police clearance and the forensic report, other procedures including immigration and embalming would be completed in the next three to four hours, a source told Dubai-based newspaper Khaleej Times. The actor's body will be ready to be flown to India by 1-2 pm Dubai time, the report said. 

Industrialist Anil Ambani has sent an aircraft to Dubai to bring back Sridevi's body to India.

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In a statement last evening, the family said the actor's body will arrive in Mumbai today. "We will update you on all further information as and when it's available to us," the statement read. The last rites are expected to be held today.

"We are in touch with the family and local authorities to provide all possible assistance," Mr Suri told reporters.

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The family has said Sridevi did not have any history of heart ailments.

"We are completely shocked. She had no history of a heart attack," Sanjay Kapoor had told Khaleej Times, reported news agency IANS. Mr Kapoor reached Dubai on Sunday morning after receiving the news.

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The actor's sudden death has hit the nation hard. Videos of Sridevi at the wedding of nephew Mohit Marwah, which she had gone to attend, are being widely shared on social media. The gorgeous visuals underscore why many are having difficulty reconciling her sudden death.

Sridevi was loved by millions for her roles in iconic movies like "Sadma", "Lamhe" "Mr India", "Chandni" and "Himmatwala". A versatile actor, she had ruled not only in Bollywood, but also the Tamil, Telugu and Kannada film industry.

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After her marriage to director Boney Kapoor, Sridevi had taken a 15-year break from movies. She made a triumphant return in 2012 with "English Vinglish", which received rave reviews from critics.