Surekha Sikri passed away on July 16, 2021, due to cardiac arrest at the age of 76 in Mumbai. As soon as the news of her untimely demise made its way to the internet, it left the entire film and television industry in absolute shock. While actors, producers and directors from both industries hailed her as one of the greatest actresses in the history of Indian cinema, netizens paid their heartfelt tributes on social media.
Not everyone is aware of the fact that Surekha Sikri was also a renowned theatre artist who made her acting debut in the Hindi film industry back in 1977 at the age of 32. From working in a series of renowned television shows to appearing in films alongside A-listed actors, Surekha Sikri was an exceptional actress who was also renowned for her versatility. For the unversed, she was a three-time National Award winner, which speaks volumes about her stature as an actress in Indian cinema.
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As per many film critics, Surekha Sikri was one of the most versatile actresses of her era and the way she used to get into the skin of her character, proved that she was indeed a method actor. While almost everyone is aware of Surekha Sikri's acting talent, only a few are aware of the interesting thing that kick-started her journey to become an actress. For the uninitiated, Surekha Sikri always wanted to become a journalist when she was in school and college. The iconic actress completed her graduation degree from the prestigious Aligarh Muslim University. However, she didn't pursue her dream of becoming a journalist because of a small moment that changed the course of her entire life.
Surekha Sikri and her sister, Parveen Murad, were film enthusiasts, and the latter even arranged the admission form for the National School of Drama. However, she didn't fill it out due to some personal reasons, and Surekha filled it in just for the sake of it. Surprisingly, Surekha got selected to the prestigious acting school and decided to pursue acting, a decision that gave Indian cinema it's one of the finest actresses of all time. Once, in an old interview with Filmfare, Surekha recalled the same moment and said:
"My sister, too, was enamoured by the stage; she even got a form to apply to NSD. I applied, she helped me put together."
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Surekha Sikri graduated from the National School of Drama back in the 1970s, and instead of heading to Mumbai like most of the graduates, she started working at the acting school. Surekha worked with the NSD Repertory Company for a long period of time. After gaining a lot of knowledge about different aspects of filmmaking and acting, she finally moved her base to Mumbai for better opportunities.
It was in 1977 when Surekha Sikri made her acting debut in Hindi cinema with the film, Kissa Kursi Ka (1977). Some of her memorable performances were in the films, Tamas (1988), Mammo (1995), Badhaai Ho (2019), Sardari Begum (1996), Sarfarosh (1999), Zubeidaa (2001), and many more. Apart from working in films, Surekha Sikri also made her mark in the television industry. She featured in a series of popular shows, but it was her role as 'Dadisa' in Balika Vadhu that made her a household name across India.
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Not everyone is aware of the fact that Surekha Sikri's sister, Manara Sikri, aka Parveen Murad was living with her kids in Iran, when she got divorced from her then-husband. After Parveen's divorce, she fell in love with legendary actor, Naseeruddin Shah, and they decided to get married. While it was Naseeruddin Shah's first marriage, Parveen was 15 years older than him and even had kids.
However, Naseeruddin Shah went against his family to marry Parveen, and despite all the troubles, they got married and welcomed a baby girl in the following years. Unfortunately, after some years, cracks started appearing in their happy paradise, and Naseeruddin Shah and Parveen Murad decided to part ways. It was a heartbreaking phase for Parveen, and her sister, Surekha Sikri, helped her move on in her life.
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Not many people are aware that Naseeruddin Shah was Surekha Sikri's ex-brother-in-law. Soon after her demise, Naseeruddin Shah and Surekha Sikri's family connection started making its way to the internet. There's no denying that Surekha Sikri's demise left a major void in the Indian television and film industry.
Surekha Sikri will always be renowned for her iconic roles and the kind of warm personality she had in real life. What are your thoughts on her acting journey? Let us know.
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