New Delhi, February 28: The respect, affection and gratitude for Sridevi were evident on Wednesday as the nation bid a tearful adieu to the legendary actress, whose last rites were performed today in Mumbai. Sridevi's niece and actress Sonam Kapoor took to Instagram to share official family note thanking fans for 'outpouring of love'. In the post, Sonam sought continued love and support for Sridevi's young daughters Jhanvi (21) and Khushi (18) and at the same time requested media to respect family's privacy at the time of grief.

A statement by the Kapoors, Ayyappan and Marwah families read, "The past few days have been trying times for us as a family. Today, particularly, has been one of the hardest. We laid to rest a beautiful soul who has gone too soon. She leaves behind a legacy that is unique. Her talent was undeniable, her beauty unmatched and her ability to connect with the audience was legendary. Sri had the same connect with her family as well."

"The one thing that helped us all get through these last few days, was the amazing amount of love and support from everyone — be it her many colleagues, to her innumerable fans, her caring friends and loving family, from across the country and the world.

"This outpouring of love is the memory that we would like Khushi and Janhvi to have of their mother... a woman who was loved unquestionably by everyone. Let us all who loved Sri, envelope her two little ones, her life, as she often called them, with as much or more love than we gave Sri so that they can live their lives ahead with a little less ache in their hearts." it further read.

They also requested the media to respect their privacy and give them "space to grief." "Let's help them remember their mother fondly and help them build a life and be what Sridevi had dreamt for them. We ask that you respect our privacy and allow us space to grieve. Sri lived her life with dignity and we implore, you give her the same respect," it added.

A post shared by sonamkapoor (@sonamkapoor) on

 

Sridevi passed away on late Saturday night in Dubai, where she was attending a family wedding. According to the forensic report, the 54-year-old Indian actress died of accidental drowning in her hotel room's bathtub, after suffering a dizzying spell. According to reports, traces of alcohol were found in her body too. The cremation ceremony took place at Vile Parle's Seva Samaj Crematorium and Hindu Cemetery from 3:30 pm onwards on Wednesday in Mumbai.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 28, 2018 11:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).