Legendary Padma Shri actress Sridevi cremated with full state honours. Shah Rukh Khan and other Bollywood celebrities arrived at the Pawan Hans Crematorium in Vile Parle to pay their respects
Family members pay their last respects to Sridevi
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Several lakhs turned up to join a long procession -- among the largest in recent times -- to mark the final journey of actress Sridevi which started near her residence to a crematorium in Vile Parle on Wednesday afternoon.
Legendary actress Sridevi was cremated with full state honours. The Maharashtra government decided to accord her full state honours at her funeral which took place on Wednesday afternoon, official sources said. The state honours for the actress, who was conferred Padma Shri in 2013, included draping her body in the national tricolour, elaborate arrangements by the Mumbai Police, and a gun salute before the cremation. The entire family, Janhvi Kapoor, Khushi Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor, husband Boney Kapoor bid a tearful adieu to the Chandni star.
#WATCH Mumbai: Mortal remains of #Sridevi wrapped in tricolour, accorded state honours. pic.twitter.com/jhvC9pjLMp
— ANI (@ANI) February 28, 2018
A tall, open truck, fully decorated with white flowers -- her favourite colour -- carried her body which was first draped in the national tricolour and then loaded in a glass casket, as cries of ‘Sridevi Amar Rahe' rent the air among her fans.
Inside the truck was Sridevi lying serene with full make-up, a large south Indian style vermillion and wearing a ceremonial gold and maroon coloured Kanjeevaram sari. A heavy, large necklace adorned her since she died a ‘suhaagan' (still married), giving the appearance of a resplendent ‘devi' (Goddess) in deep slumber.
Her grieving family members including husband Boney Kapoor, her step-son Arjun Kapoor and brothers-in-law Anil Kapoor and Sanjay Kapoor were among those who travelled in the truck with the body.
The truck slowly negotiated the approximately six km passing through some of the poshest areas of Andheri and Vile Parle suburbs, with a massive portrait of Sridevi visible from a distance.
Several lakhs of people including students, office-goers and others accompanied or waited on both side of the roads, looked on from buildings and bungalow terraces. Many climbed on signals and lamp posts for a last glimpse of their beloved heroine.
In terms of sheer numbers, Sridevi's funeral is estimated to have attracted the highest number of mourners, ranking on par with the previous biggest funeral processions of the legendary singer Mohammed Rafi (July 1980: around a million mourners), and India's first superstar Rajesh Khanna (July 2012: a little less than a million mourners).
The other big funerals of non-political personalities in Mumbai included those of Raj Kapoor (June 1988) and Vinod Khanna (April 2017).
Earlier, on Wednesday morning, her mortal remains arrived at Celebration Sports Club in Lokhandwala, where her industry peers and admirers paid their last respects to the iconic actor. Mumbai Police also paid their respects to the veteran. The Police band in full dress uniform had arrived at the club before the actor's final journey. Sridevi's mortal remains were placed at Celebration Sports Club from 9.30 am and 12.30 pm for members of the public who gathered to pay homage before the funeral, which will be held at Vile Parle Seva Samaj Crematorium & Hindu Cemetery.
Legendary actress Sridevi's mortal remains reached Pawan Hans Crematorium, Vile Parle around 3:30 pm. Shah Rukh Khan, Arjun Rampal, Randhir Kapoor and Rajiv Kapoor, Dia Mirza, Farhan Akhtar, Prasoon Joshi have reached the Crematorium centre to pay their respects. The crowd gathered outside the venue to catch the last glimpse of the actress is creating a huge chaos.
Shah Rukh Khan arrives for Sridevi's funeral
Thousands of people including celebrities and Bollywood personalities mourned for the actress on Wednesday. Since dawn, hundreds of teary-eyed fans and admirers, some carrying flowers, had started queueing up outside the club for a final 'darshan' of their idol. After the flower-bedecked body of Sridevi was brought to the club premises, a steady stream of celebrities started alighting from their vehicles and were whisked inside to pay their last respects. Rekha, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Ajay Devgn and Kajol and other celebs arrived at the venue to bid farewell to Sridevi.
Also read: Bollywood Celebs Arrive To Pay Their Last Respects to Sridevi
Pictures courtesy/Anupriya Verma
Most mourners embraced and sought to console the bereaved family members, quickly moving in from the main entrance and exiting fleetingly from the other side, as fans tried to catch a glimpse. Sridevi's body was flown to Mumbai from Dubai where she passed away around 11 pm on February 24, and from the airport was taken to the Kapoor residence in Green Acres at the posh Lokhandwala Complex.
The Green Acres complex has cancelled Holi celebrations as a mark of respect for their departed resident. Despite the late hour, several hundreds of fans kept vigil outside the residence when a motorcade including an ambulance reached there. There was chaos outside her residence, as a large number of fans jostled for a glimpse of their favourite actor.
Also view - Sridevi's final journey: Deepika Padukone, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Kajol pay their respects
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