In a shocking development, popular actress Surekha Sikri has passed away on Friday at the age of 75 in Mumbai due to cardiac arrest. Sikri, one of the veteran icons of the Indian Cinema, had won the national award three times. Several fans and cinema fraternities are paying tribute to the deceased soul and expressing condolences to the family members.

According to reports, Sikri's manager has confirmed the demise of the actress. Sikri had been battling her illness for a long time and she had been getting treated in Mumbai. Speaking to a news agency, Sikri's manager has said, "Three-time national award-winning actress, Surekha Sikri has passed away following a cardiac arrest earlier this morning at the age of 75. She had been suffering from complications arising from a second brain stroke." 

"She was surrounded by family and her caregivers. The family asks for privacy at his time", the manager added. The 75-year-old actress had left a vacuum in the industry through her iconic career spanning over four decades. She was active in the industry since 1978. Sikri was born on April 19, 1945, in Delhi. She spent her childhood in Almora and Nainital. At the beginning stage of her career, she had attended Aligarh Muslim University. She had later graduated from the National School of Drama in 1971. 

She had shifted to Mumbai in the 1980s. Sikri had made her debut in the 1978 political drama film 'Kissa Kursi Ka' and she went on to play supporting roles in numerous Hindi and Malayalam films and in Indian soap operas. Sikri won her first National Film Award in 1988 for her film 'Tamas'. She won the second National Award in 1995 for Shyam Benegal's 'Mammo'. She then won her third National Award in 2018 for her acting in the comedy-drama movie 'Badhaai Ho', which was starred Ayushmann Khurrana and Sanya Malhotra. 

Some of her notable movies include 'Sarfarosh', 'Zubeidaa', 'Sheer Qorma', 'Sardari Begum', 'Dillagi', and 'Anaadi Anant'. Sikri was last seen in director Zoya Akhtar's short film in the Netflix anthology 'Ghost Stories'. In 2020, Sikri had suffered a brain stroke and she was discharged from the hospital in a few days. She had been battling her illness for a long time and she had developed complications after a second brain stroke. She also had suffered from cardiac arrest and amid the treatments to save her, she had breathed her last on Friday. 

After the news of his demise made national headlines, several leaders and fraternities are paying tribute to the national-award-winning actress. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took to Twitter and wrote, "Heartfelt condolences on the demise of veteran actress Surekha Sikri ji. May God bless her soul." Actress Renuka Shahane said, "We've lost one of our absolute best today. She was outstanding every single time she performed. RIP Surekhaji." 

Sirki was survived by her son Rahul Sikri from her first marriage. Her husband Hemant Rege had passed away on October 20, 2009, due to cardiac arrest. According to reports, reputed actor Naseeruddin Shah is Sikri's former brother-in-law, as his first marriage was with her step-sister Manara Sikri. 

Heartfelt condolences on the demise of veteran actress Surekha Sikri ji. May God bless her soul. https://t.co/2elV7jlgzl

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) July 16, 2021