Avinash Lohana and Shravan Shah (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 1, 2018)

In one of the biggest funeral processions, on par with Mohammed Rafi’s in July 1980 and Rajesh Khanna in July 2012, as close to 30-40 thousand fans turned up in busloads from as far as Chennai, Hyderabad and Rajasthan for Sridevi’s final journey. Draped in a maroon Kanjeevaram saree, complimented with gold temple jewellery, the actress’s body rested in a glass casket wrapped in the Indian tricolor. It was placed in an open truck decorated with garlands of mogra, her favourite flower, and a life-size portrait of her, which wended through the city’s streets choked with grieving fans towards the Vile Parle crematorium.

The six-kilometre drive which started at Sridevi’s Lokhandwala residence, took over two hours to complete. Craving one last glimpse of their idol, the pan-India star’s legion of admirers clambered up signals and lamp posts, and crowded into the Vile Parle skywalk which was in danger of collapsing. Cries of “sleeping beauty”, “devi” and “Sridevi amar rahe” filled the streets, as family members, including daughters Janhvi and Khushi, husband Boney Kapoor, his brothers, Anil and Sanjay, son Arjun and nephew Mohit Marwah with his new bride Antara, huddled together in the truck looking devastated.

Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi were among the first ones to arrive at the crematorium at 3:30 pm. Among other friends and colleagues who attended the funeral were Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Jeetendra, Randhir Kapoor, Imtiaz Ali and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Deepika Padukone accompanied by producer Juno Chopra and Sidharth Malhotra, Vidya Balan with producer-husband Siddharth Roy Kapur, Vivek Oberoi and father Suresh, Neil Nitin Mukesh and father Nitin Mukesh, Shraddha Kapoor with mother Shivangi and brother Siddhanth, Karan Kapadia with aunt Dimple Kapadia, Sara Ali Khan with mother Amrita Singh, Rani Mukerji with choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant were spotted amongst the mourners too.

Among the politicians were Aditya Thackeray with mother Rashmi and Sanjay Nirupam. Industrialist Anil Ambani with wife Tina had been with the family since the body arrived around 9:40 pm from Dubai on Tuesday in his private jet. Sridevi, who was conferred the Padma Shri in 2013, was accorded full state honours, complete with a gun salute. Janhvi and Khushi paid their last respects before the body was consigned to the flames with husband Boney standing by quietly.

Many from the film fraternity paid their respects at a condolence meet scheduled at a club near Sridevi’s home from 9:30 am to 12 noon on Wednesday. Rekha who was among the first of the mourners, stood beside Sridevi’s body with designer Manish Malhotra and both wept quietly as they remembered their friend. Sonam Kapoor was inconsolable despite beau Anand Ahuja’s solid presence and a comforting hug from actress-friend Jacqueline Fernandez. By 10 am, Tabu, Nimrat Kaur, Manish Paul, Neelima Azeem, Jaya Prada, Ravi Kishan and director Subhash Ghai had had a quiet word with the family. While many celebs chose to walk in to the crematorium, Amitabh Bachchan took his car right inside the venue, like designer Masaba Gupta and producer-husband Madhu Mantena had done earlier that day at the Club. In the rush, South star Venkatesh had walked in with a large garland. Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan arrived with mother-in-law Jaya Bachchan and sister-in-law Shweta Bachchan. Sushmita Sen was there too, as were Akshaye Khanna, Satish Kaushik and Hema Malini with daughter Esha Deol. Vidhu Vinod Chopra was with Rajkummar Hirani. Also present were Fardeen Khan and Reena Roy.


Anil Kapoor’s actor-son Harshvardhan Kapoor was overseeing the arrangements in the morning.

It was peaceful for a while but then with the crowds growing and many fans breaking queue, the cops had to resort to lathi charge briefly. With folded hands, Sanjay Kapoor greeted the crowd.

After chants of “Om Namo Narayanaya” had filled the air during the prayer meet, there was smoke from burning incense sticks spiralling around giving the surrounding a surreal air as Sridevi’s body was taken out of the truck at 4 pm.

As the flames burnt bright, it was goodbye for India’s pan-India star two days before the festival of colours. The residents of the housing society on Wednesday cancelled all Holi celebrations as a mark of respect for their late neighbour.

As the sun went down the Kapoor, Ayappan and Marwah families, shared a note which read:

“The past few days have been trying times for us as a family. Today, particularly, has been one of the hardest. We laid to rest a beautiful soul who has gone too soon. She leaves behind a legacy that is unique. Her talent was undeniable, her beauty unmatched and her ability to connect with the audience was legendary. Sri had the same connect with her family as well. The one thing that helped us all get through these last few days, was the amazing amount of love and support from everyone — be it her many colleagues, to her innumerable fans, her caring friends and loving family, from across the country and the world. This outpouring of love is the memory that we would like Khushi and Janhvi to have of their mother… a woman who was loved unquestionably by everyone. Let us all who loved Sri envelope her two little ones, “her life”, as she often called them, with as much or more love than we gave Sri so that they can live their lives ahead with a little less ache in their hearts. Let us help them remember their mother fondly, with that beloved twinkle in her eyes, and help them build a life and be what Sri had dreamt for them.”

Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; March 1, 2018)

She had a knack for bringing us together — every time she appeared on the big screen, we, in unison, would be left captivated by her charms. And she did it yesterday again — brought the country together as it bid the final goodbye to India’s first female superstar, Sridevi.

A sea of fans had gathered outside The Celebration Sports Club in Andheri from as early as 2 am yesterday, waiting to catch one last glimpse of Sridevi. The mortal remains were kept at the club, minutes away from her Lokhandwala home, so that fans could pay their last respects to the star who had enthralled them for the past four decades. More than 200 policemen were present at the venue to keep the teeming crowd in check. The hall had three entry points — one each for VIPs, the media and the public.

Inside the hall, Sridevi’s mortal remains were draped in a red Kanjivaram saree with a bindi on her forehead. Sonam and Rhea Kapoor were by daughters Janhvi and Khushi’s side as the two were inconsolable, while Boney Kapoor put on a brave front. Anil and Sanjay Kapoor received the guests. Rani Mukerji, who has often expressed her admiration for the superstar and shared a deep friendship with her, lent her support to the family.

Bollywood came out in full force to pay homage to the actor, who left behind a legacy that very few will be able to match. Madhuri Dixit Nene, who enjoyed a healthy competition with the superstar in their heydays, was one of the first to arrive with husband Sriram Nene. From yesteryear actors like Hema Malini, Rekha and Rakesh Roshan to the current crop including Ajay Devgn and Kajol, Deepika Padukone and Shahid Kapoor, B-Town celebs grieved the loss of one of the brightest talents. Jaya Bachchan walked in with daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai while an emotional Vidya Balan came to bid adieu to her idol. Manish Malhotra, who considered Sridevi his muse and his closest friend, is said to have broken down in the final moments.

At the end of the condolence meet, the icon, who was conferred with Padma Shri in 2013, was given state honours as the Mumbai police offered her the Guard Of Honour and draped her body in the tricolour.

The actor began her final journey as mourners kept jostling for space to catch a glimpse of her cortege as it slowly made its way through the city to the Vile Parle crematorium. Some of the fans even tried to break through the barricades, forcing the police to resort to lathicharge. The body of the 54-year-old, who died in Dubai on Saturday, was taken in a hearse that was bedecked in white flowers. Her filmmaker husband, along with Arjun Kapoor, and other family members were beside her in the hearse.

Several stars including Amitabh Bachchan, Jeetendra, Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif, Rohit Shetty and Farhan Akhtar came to the crematorium for the last rites. The surging crowd made it difficult for the stars to reach the venue. In fact, Sonam too had a tough time to reach the crematorium. After a few rituals, Boney preformed the mukhaagni [last rites] bidding the final adieu to his wife.

As an important chapter of his life came to an end, Boney issued a statement saying, “I am blessed to have the support of Arjun and Anshula [Kapoor, Boney’s children], who have been such pillars of strength for myself, Khushi and Janhvi. Together as a family we have tried to face this unbearable loss... To the world she was their Chandni, but to me she was my love, mother to our girls... She was the axis around which our family ran... Rest in peace, my love.”

Funeral Will Be Held Today In Vile Parle
Sushil Rao & Bella Jaisinghani | TNN (THE TIMES OF INDIA; February 28, 2018)

More than two-and-a-half days after superstar Sridevi’s body was found in a bathtub in her hotel room in Dubai, the UAE authorities closed the case and released the body to be taken back to India. The body, which was then embalmed, was flown in a private charter flight belonging to ADAG from Dubai airport at 7pm (IST) and landed in Mumbai at 9.30pm.

A posse of policemen escorted the ambulance carrying Sridevi’s mortal remains to the Kapoors’ Lokhandwala residence. Police had to resort to a lathi-charge to control the 2,000-odd-strong crowd gathered there.

The actor’s body will be kept at Celebration Club in Andheri from 9.30am to 12.30 pm on Wednesday so that fans and celebrities can pay their respects, said a statement issued by the Kapoor family. From Celebration Club, the funeral procession will leave for the Vile Parle Seva Samaj crematorium at 2pm and the last rites are expected to be performed around 3.30pm.

On Monday, after the post-mortem report revealed the cause of the actor’s death to be “accidental drowning” and the case was transferred to the Dubai public prosecution, there was speculation that the authorities may not release the body on Tuesday either.

There were also reports that the authorities were planning to collect more blood samples and tissues for investigation. However, ruling out any foul play and the need for re-investigation, authorities speeded up the process and closed the case by afternoon.
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MUMBAI MIRROR (February 28, 2018)

A private jet owned by industrialist Anil Ambani and carrying Sridevi’s body departed from Dubai around 7 pm and landed at Mumbai at 9:40 pm. An ambulance from Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital took her body to Boney Kapoor’s Lokhandwala residence around 11 pm. Security had been stepped up at all locations to ensure a final farewell to the cinematic legend, who passed away on Sunday at the age of 54.

On Wednesday at 2 pm the Dubai Prosecutor’s Office ruled out any foul play in her death and released the body to her family. The forensic report had stated that Sridevi had died from accidental drowning in her bathtub, after losing consciousness and the case was closed. Boney Kapoor, his brother Sanjay, sister Reena and her husband Sandeep, and Boney’s son Arjun Kapoor, took the body from the morgue, got it embalmed and flew to Mumbai on a private plane that had been parked at the Dubai airport since Sunday. At Mumbai airport, Anil Kapoor was present to receive the family.

In a statement, the Kapoor family said Sridevi’s body will be at Celebration Sports Club in Lokhandwala near her home for people to pay their last respects between 9:30 am to 12:30 pm, before cremation. The last journey commences at 3:30 pm at a Vile Parle Crematorium.

Colleagues and friends of the late actress kept pouring into Anil Kapoor’s Juhu bungalow to pay their respects to the family. While Rajinikath, Shah Rukh Khan with wife Gauri and Akshay Kumar with wife Twinkle arrived late on Monday night, Bappi Lahiri, Katrina Kaif, Athiya and Ahaan Shetty were present on Wednesday. Anupam with son Sikander Kher, Anees Bazmee and late Shammi Kapoor’s wife Neila Devi were also present.

Sara Ali Khan was seen taking packages for her friend, Sridevi’s daughter Janhvi Kapoor. Janhvi and sister Khushi, have been distraught and isolated at Anil’s bungalow, with their close friends keeping them company.
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Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; February 28, 2018)

A Kapoor family’s long wait to bring back the mortal remains of Sridevi came to an end as the Dubai Police allowed the repatriation of her body yesterday. The Dubai Public Prosecution closed the case after stressing that all procedures were followed, a day after they announced that the actor’s death occurred due to “ accidental drowning” at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel on February 24. The mortal remains of the actor arrived at the aviation terminal in Kalina at 9.30 pm last evening, in Anil Ambani’s Embraer jet. Accompanying Boney Kapoor were brother Sanjay Kapoor and son Arjun Kapoor, who had flown to Dubai yesterday morning to be by his side. Anil and Sonam Kapoor were present at the airport along with Ambani.

Preparations were underway at The Celebration Sports Club in Lokhandwala, where the actor’s body will be kept from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm today to enable fans to pay homage to the star. The last journey will commence at 2 pm from the sports club to Vile Parle Seva Samaj crematorium and the funeral is scheduled for 4 pm at Vile Parle’s Pawan Hans. A source close to the family said, “Anil and Sanjay are overseeing the arrangement of the condolence meet and the funeral.”