National Award-winning actor Surekha Sikri dies at 75 due to cardiac arrest

Veteran actor Surekha Sikri has died at the age of 75 after suffering a cardiac arrest, her manager has said. She had been unwell for several months, and had suffered a brain stroke in 2020.

Her manager manager told reporters, "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 this time. Om Sai Ram."

Surekha Sikri made her debut in 1978, with the film Kissa Kursi Ka. She won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress thrice, for her roles in Tamas (1988), Mammo (1995) and Badhaai Ho (2018). She gained prominence for her performance in the prime time soap opera Balika Vadhu. Her performance in the Ayushmann Khurrana-starrer Badhaai Ho drew immense acclaim and was seen as somewhat of a career comeback.

She was last seen in director Zoya Akhtar's short film in the Netflix anthology Ghost Stories.

In 2020, she was admitted to hospital after suffering a brain stroke. It was reported at the time that she was also going through a turbulent period financially, which she later denied. "That was incorrectly put out in the press. Surekhaji has her own finances and the family, including her son, is by her side. There is no need for financial assistance for now. Many of her well-wishers, colleagues and filmmakers were kind enough to offer financial assistance. They have been informed that the family is taking care of everything and giving her the best possible treatment. We would like to acknowledge everyone who reached out to us," her manager had told Mid-Day.