Shashikala dies at 88: Lata Mangeshkar, Adnan Sami, and other celebs mourn her demise

Veteran actor Shashikala, best known for her supporting roles in the 1960s-70s films like "Aarti", "Gumrah" and "Chhote Sarkar", passed away on Sunday at the age of 88. Celebrities like Adnan Sami, Lata Mangeshkar, Padmini Kolhapure, Sharad Malhotra, and others mourned her demise.

Mangeshkar called Shashikala a gifted artiste who did full justice to every character she played. "I am saddened after learning about the demise of the talented actor Shashikala. She played every kind of role with equal elan. May she rest in peace. My condolences to her family," she said.

Naved Jafri remembered Shashikala as "a great artist". "May the almighty give the family strength and patience to bear this irreplaceable loss. Deepest condolences #ShashiKala #RIPShashikala," he tweeted.

BN Tiwari, president of the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), confirmed the news of her death. "Shashikala ji has passed away. She was 88. We don't know the exact details of her demise," Tiwari told PTI. When contacted, filmmaker and president of the Indian Film & Television Directors' Association (IFTDA), Ashoke Pandit said, "Shashikala ji has passed away."

Guni abhinetri Shashikala ji ke swargwas ki khabar sunke mujhe bahut dukh hua. Wo har tarah ki bhumikaein badi khubi se nibhaati thi.Ishwar unki aatma ko shanti pradan kare.Meri samvedanayein unke pariwar ke saath hai. pic.twitter.com/6eRVmORold

— Lata Mangeshkar (@mangeshkarlata)

Saddened to learn that legendary actress Shashikala ji has passed away... She was a brilliant & versatile actress.
May she rest in peace...🙏#Shashikala pic.twitter.com/Pga6Cbd47O

— Adnan Sami (@AdnanSamiLive)

Our dear Shashikala Ji is no more. She was a great artist. May the almighty give the family strength and patience to bear this irreplaceable loss. Deepest condolences 🙏#ShashiKala #RIPShashikala pic.twitter.com/qTx90g4sVl

— Naved Jafri (@NavedJafri_BOO)

RIP #ShashiKala JI .. great actress .. M fortunate to work with her in #maharaja .. heartiest condolence n prayers 🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/fq8Dy8IX7M

— Anil Sharma (@Anilsharma_dir)

अत्यंतक धक्कादायक बातमी ! Rest in Peace Shashikala Tai 🙏 A true Woman of Substance .. what a journey ! WAH 🙇‍♀️
Truly blessed to have worked with you ! https://t.co/ywNyhZCm2c

— Padmini Kolhapure (@KolhapureP)

We are deeply saddened by the demise of veteran actress #Shashikala. She will be remembered for her versatile performances in films like #Sujata, #Aarti and #Gumrah.
May her soul rest in peace.#RIP #RIPShashikala pic.twitter.com/4lTjIj4VyC

— NFAI (@NFAIOfficial)

Saddened to learn about the demise of veteran actress Shashikala Ji. May she rest in peace. My deepest condolences and prayers are with her family and friends. pic.twitter.com/De5EPFfCs5

— Ritesh Sidhwani (@ritesh_sid)

She made her first big-screen appearance in the 1945 movie "Zeenat", directed by legendary actor Noor Jehan's husband Syed Shaukat Hussain Rizvi.

Better known by her first name, Shashikala starred in over a hundred films in her career spanning around six decades. She received Padma Shri, the country's fourth-highest civilian award, in 2007 for her contribution to the Indian cinema. 

(With PTI inputs)