The actress known simply as Sridevi had been with her family in Dubai for her nephew's wedding.

Over five decades, she starred in more than 150 films, including classics like Mr India, Chandni, ChaalBaaz and Sadma.

She was considered one of the very few Indian female superstars capable of huge box office success without the support of a male hero.

From the age of four, she had worked in films in the Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi languages.

Crowds gathered outside Sridevi's home in Mumbai as news emerged of her death. Bollywood figures and political leaders reacted with shock.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that he was "saddened by the untimely demise of noted actor Sridevi", while Indian President Ram Nath Kovind said her death had left millions of fans heartbroken.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, paid tribute to the late star, writing on Twitter: "Really enjoyed meeting Bollywood icon Sri Devi on my recent trip to India.

"So sad to hear the news of the death of such a terrifically talented actress, performer and producer."

How did she die?

The actress was in the United Arab Emirates to attend the wedding of her nephew, Mohit Marwah.

Sridevi's husband Boney Kapoor and daughter Khushi were with her when she passed away on Saturday, reports say.

Her brother-in-law Sanjay Kapoor said it had happened "roughly around" 23:00-23:30 (19:00-19:30 GMT), indianexpress.com reports.

He did not provide any further details.

Why was she such a huge box office draw?

She debuted as a lead actress in a Bollywood film in 1978, soon becoming one of India's biggest film stars.

The versatile actress decided to take a break from the film industry after the release of Judaai in 1997.

She made a comeback in 2012, starring in English Vinglish.

In 2013, the Indian government awarded her the Padma Shri - the fourth highest civilian honour.

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