In the glorious history of Indian cinema, some stars leave an imprint so deep that it only grows stronger with time and Sridevi was undeniably one of them. Born on 13 August 1963 in Meenampatti village of Tamil Nadu, she was far from an ordinary child. At just four years old, she stepped into the world of films as a child artist in the Tamil classic Kandhan Karunai. What began as an innocent debut soon transformed into an extraordinary journey, making her a true Bollywood superstar lovingly known to fans by many names, from ‘Hawa Hawai’ to ‘Chandni’ to the iconic ‘Lady Superstar’.

Sridevi, who made her debut with the Hindi film Rani Mera Naam at the age of just nine, debuted as an actress in 1979 with Solva Sawan, but got real recognition with 1983's Himmatwala. The 80s and 90s were completely in her name, producers and directors made films in her name. In an era when heroes were the centre of attention, Sridevi did many stories where the entire plot revolved around her.

She was the first Bollywood actress to be paid Rs 1 crore for a film. At the age of 13, she played Rajinikanth's stepmother in Moondru Mudichu. Her friendship with Rajinikanth and their pairing in over 20 films were loved by the audience. Acting in nearly 300 films, she gave memorable roles in films like Chandni, Lamhe, Nagina, Chaalbaaz, Sadma, Mr India, Khuda Gawah and Judaai. She won the Padma Shri (2013), several Filmfare Awards and a posthumous National Film Award for Mom.

In 1996, she married producer Boney Kapoor and became the mother of two daughters Jhanvi and Khushi. After a long break, she made a great comeback with English Vinglish and Mom. Her last appearance was in the film Zero.

Her untimely death on 24 February 2018 due to drowning in a bathtub in Dubai shocked the whole country. Today, on her 62nd birthday, Sridevi's brilliance, her characters and her acting legacy will always remain immortal in Indian cinema.