Sridevi with Khushi, Janhvi and Boney Kapoor in Mumbai
Highlights
- "Wish she was here today," said Boney Kapoor
- "It's a very special moment for all of us," said Janhvi and Khushi
- "She was always a perfectionist," they added
Almost two months after Sridevi's tragic end, the world of Indian cinema is celebrating the actress'
posthumous National Award win. The National Awards were announced in New Delhi on Friday and Sridevi was honoured with the Best Actress Award for 2017's revenge drama
MOM - her first National Award. Srivedi, who accidentally drowned in a hotel bathtub in Dubai this year, is survived by her family - husband Boney Kapoor and daughters Janhvi and Khushi, all of who described the prestigious honour as "a special" moment for the family. Filmmaker Boney Kapoor, who has produced several films starring Sridevi, thanked the jury and said: "Thank you. I just wish she was here today to see this," reported PTI.
Meanwhile, in a statement released by the Kapoor family stated Sridevi's legacy of 300 films is testament to her contribution to Indian cinema. "We are overjoyed to know that the jury has conferred the best actor award to Sridevi for her performance in
MOM. It's a very special moment for all of us. She was always a perfectionist and it showed in all the 300 plus films she did," read the statement.
"She was not just a super actor but a super wife and a super mom. It's time to celebrate her life and her achievements. She is not with us today but her legacy will always live on," the statement added.
"We thank the Government of India, the Hon'ble Jury Members for this honor. We also take this opportunity to thank all our friends, her fans who have been sending us congratulatory messages," the statement also read.
This is what Sridevi's brother-in-law and
Mr India co-star Anil Kapoor tweeted:
On Friday, the awards were announced
by feature film jury head Shekhar Kapur, who directed Sridevi in 1987 film
Mr India and told PTI: "It was not because of the relationship we shared but because she was the most deserving candidate for her portrayal in
MOM." Speaking to NDTV, he said: "I think she's one of the best actresses I've ever worked with."
Pakistani actor Adnan Siddiqui, with whom Sridevi co-starred in
MOM, told PTI: "I am not surprised, she deserved more. She deserves each and every award of the world. From a child actor till her last film. I am happy that she got a send-off at the state level. But I am saddened that she got the award when she is not here today."
Sridevi, whose is best known for movies such as
Mr India,
Chandni, and
Sadma, took a sabbatical from films after she married Boney Kapoor in 1996. She made a comeback with
English Vinglish in 2012 and then starred in Tamil fantasy drama
Puli. She was last seen in
MOM, in which she was cast as a mother determined to avenge the rape of her daughter. Sridevi also shot for Shah Rukh Khan's
Zero, which releases later this year.