Fans of actor Sridevi continued to throng outside her residence at Green Acres, Andheri Lokhandwala, on Monday to pay their respects while a steady stream of film industry members made their way to her brother-in-law actor Anil Kapoor’s residence in Juhu.
Two police vehicles were stationed outside Green Acres throughout the day, and heavy bandobast was imposed around the area.
The traffic police, too, deployed personnel to divert vehicles to prevent congestion. “People are following the vehicles of celebrities here, and to avoid chaos we are not letting fans enter the lane,” said a police officer.
An inspiration
Fans across age groups and from different parts of the country gathered to pay homage to their icon, some with flowers in their hands, others still in shock.
Some spoke about her dances in various films and how she inspired them to learn to dance, while others talked about how films like English Vinglish and Mom struck a chord.
Offering their support: (Clockwise from top left) Jayaprada and Amar Singh; Madhuri Dixit and her husband, Sriram Nene; Sarika and Shruti Haasan; M. Nasser; Tabu; Venkatesh; Mohit Marwah and his wife; Sara Ali Khan; Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh; and Kamal Haasan arrive at Anil Kapoor’s residence in Juhu on Monday.
Shahir Patil (55), a farmer who was waiting with his family, said, “We have been fans of Sridevi since we watched films like Sadma and Chaalbaaz . We are here to see her for the last time and support her family.”
Shilpa Kumar, a homemaker, said, “I still can’t believe that she is no more. It is a great loss for the entire nation.” Simran Sahani, a student, said that she was keeping vigil outside the house as she had always idolised Sridevi. “I couldn’t sleep the whole night after I heard the news,” Ms. Sahani said.
Though the police did not allow any fans around the house, Kajal Daff, a 28-year-old costume designer, waited across the road. “I am waiting here since the last four hours. I am a huge fan of Sridevi and have watched all her movies till now. I am eagerly waiting for Jhanvi Kapoor’s (Sridevi’s daughter) movie to release. I am sure she will carry the legacy ahead. I will come back at midnight if I have to, to see her one last time,” she said.
A long wait: Fans wait outside Sridevi’s residence in Lokhandwala on Monday.
For Suresh Chandra, a 55-year-old Andheri resident, Sridevi was always his favourite actress. “From Mr. India to Himmatwala , I love all her movies. I will come back at 7 a.m. tomorrow if I don’t get to pay my respects to her today. She was a great icon for the entire nation,” he said.
Friends and colleagues
Film personalities who visited Anil Kapoor’s residence to offer their condolences, included Kamal Haasan; Ranveer Singh; Deepika Padukone; Tabu; Farah Khan; Deepti Naval; Farhan Akhtar; Javed Akhtar; Shaban Azmi; Venkatesh; Ritesh Sidhwani; Karan Johar; Manish Malhotra; Jaya Prada; Krishna Raj Kapoor; Madhuri Dixit and her husband, Sriram Nene; Rajinikanth’s wife, Latha; Sarika with daughters Shruti and Akshara Haasan; Shashi Ranjan; Genelia D’Souza; Nagma; Karisma Kapoor; Shekhar Kapur; Akshat and Anushka Ranjan; Mohit Marwah; and Sara Ali Khan.
Mukesh Ambani’s elder son Akash and politician Amar Singh were also among the visitors. Mr. Singh said, “It is a very sad moment for us. We are still in shock. We are here to support the family. I request the media not to sensationalise the event.”
Police personnel posted outside Green Acres said Sridevi’s family members were at Bhagya bungalow, Versova, preparing for her last rites now expected to take place on Tuesday.
At the time of going to press, her body was still in Dubai, and the Indian authorities were working closely with the actor’s family to facilitate its smooth return to Mumbai.
