India’s dadi sa Surekha Sikri dead, industry mourns loss of the acclaimed actor

Variety is one word which can be used to sum up late actor Surekha Sikri’s body of work, across all mediums. She died on July 16 due to a cardiac arrest, leaving behind acclaimed performances in films such as Zubeidaa (2001), Tamas (1988), Mammo (1994) and many more.

A three-time National Award winner, the actor had suffered a stroke few years back due to a clot in her brain. Wheelchair bound since then, the sickness never stopped her from taking up more work and showing her brilliance.

Sikri, over a career spanning more than four decades, not only managed to leave a mark in films, but television too. Who can forget her iconic performance as the matriarch of the house in Balika Vadhu? Dadisa, as her character was called, made her a household name all over India.

And age was certainly never a deterrent for her. At 73, she appeared in Badhaai Ho (2018), a role and film so loved that it fetched her a National Award for Best Supporting Actress.

The veteran dabbled with the web too, appearing in the horror anthology Ghost Stories in 2020.

The entire industry is saddened by the loss, and they took to social media and some spoke to us about it.

Avika Gor (Young Anandi from Balika Vadhu)

I am saddened to know about the demise of my mentor Surekha Sikri Ji , one of the greatest actors and doyen of Indian cinema, a legend. She inspired generations of actors and will always be missed. Surekha ma’am was an inspiration and showed the way with grace. What can I say about her, who showed us how it’s done, with so much grace and elan. She has been an inspiration to people like me who have aspired to be like her in every possible way. Her love and warmth is unmatched and there will never be another like her.

Avinash Mukherjee (young Jagya from Balika Vadhu)

It is so sad to hear about her demise. We wouldn’t meet often but she used to love me a lot and considered me as her grandson. I remember, I was 11 or 12, when I shot for Balika Vadhu with her and she would treat me as her Ladesar. She was a professional on the sets and in fact, so much so that after her husband passed away at 2 pm, she was on set the next day at 7 am to shoot. None of her family members were in town and the person closest to her had passed away but she showed such professionalism.

Shashank Vyas, (Jagdish from Balika Vadhu)

She was an institution in herself. I must have done something good in life that’s why I got a chance to work with her and I learnt a lot in the five years that I acted with her in Balika Vadhu. We shared a close bond. She was a legend, a natural actor, full of life and positivity. She lived life on her own terms and had a great sense of humour.

Shyam Benegal (Directed her in Mammo, Sardari Begum and Zubeidaa)

She was a brilliant theatre actor and later on in cinema as well. A product of National School of Drama, she was well-trained and hugely talented. We worked in three projects and she gave brilliant performances in each. What was wonderful about the whole generation of actors back then, and especially Surekha, was that they were not only talented but highly disciplined too. She would reach the sets in costume and makeup on her call time with prepared lines -all on her own. One had to just give her the pitch for the scene and you saw her perform.

Manoj Bajpayee (co-starred in Zubeidaa, 2001)

It was magical to see her on stage or even her performances in cinema. There was so much to learn from ehr craft, her focus, all the nuances and minute things she worked on is something very rare to see in any performances in today’s time. It was purely craft that she mastered.

Gajraj Rao (played her son in Badhaai Ho)

Surekha ji is no more with us today, but the memories of her relentless dedication for her craft and child-like enthusiasm will always remain with me. I will always be thankful to have had the honour of working with a legend like her in ‘Badhaai Ho.’

Faraz Arif Ansari (worked with her in show Dulha Wanted)

She played dadi in my web series, and she was unlike any other daadi. I never had a daadi in my life, I was 10 when she passed away. I wanted to recreate that moment for myself to be able to experience that in real life She was my first choice and she agreed thankfully. I had the honour of directing her for a long time and we formed a friendship. It was not a director-actor relationship, she called me ‘humraaz’. We actually shared a love for ittar. I had a rose ittar which she really liked and said ‘main lekar jaa rahi hoon’, and she took it one day! After that, I made it a point to get her ittar from every place of the world I visited. We were also supposed to work in my film Sheer Qorma, but she fell sick. I am devastated.